District staffer awarded
Sipping on ‘Lemonade’
Baseball seeks playoffs
LMC Instructional Assistant Eric Sanchez named Classified Employee of the Year. Story inside — page 3
Beyoncé released her second visual album April 23 to critical acclaim. Review inside — page 4
The April 23 win over Solano moves the Mustangs closer to clinching playoff berth — page 5
V O L .
8 4 ,
N O .
F.Y.I. Important Dates April is National Water Safety Month April 29
Last day to drop with a W appearing on transcript
May 21 to 27 Final exams
Examining diversities
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F R I D A Y ,
A P R I L
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L M C E X P E R I E N C E . C O M
Remediating success Paths to math altered
By SARAH GONZALES
sgonzales@lmcexperience.com
The Los Medanos College math department will be implementing changes in the math pathways program and math placement strategies for this upcoming fall 2016 semester. Incoming fall semester students who passed high school algebra with a C or better will now be able to bypass Accuplacer, the program used for class-level placement, and enroll straight into fast-track courses that will prepare them for transfer-level math. Fast-track courses include a
New courses designed for increased success Pathways introduced for quicker entry into college-level courses.
Math Stats for non-math/science-based majors
28
English
70
90
Fundamentals of English: Reading, writing and critical thinking
34
Math support for statistics
95
=
Integrated reading, writing and critical thinking
100
Accelerated reading, writing and critical thinking
Intro to statistics
Algebra for math and science-based majors
Prealgebra
Freshmen test placements
Following major-specific courses
29
12
College composition
Accelererated elementary, intermediate
LMC is retooling its English and math classes, aiming to increase placement in transfer-level courses and merging its remedial courses, where a majority of students test into.
ENGLISH PLACEMENT LEVELS
‘13-‘14
Transfer level
24%
18%
MATH PLACEMENT LEVELS
1 below transfer level
41%
46%
1 below transfer level
39%
31%
2 or more below transfer level
35%
36%
2 or more below transfer level
61%
69%
‘14-‘15
‘13-‘14
‘14-‘15
Experience Graphic • Lissette Urbina
Math 28 and 34 combination course for the statistics pathway for other programs and a Math 29 course for the algebra pathway for math- and science-based
programs — the former being a new addition to the math pathways. “Math 28 with Math 34 is a combination that allows students
interested in the social sciences or humanities to complete transfer math requirements in one semester,” said LMC math inSee MATH, page 6
English courses see shift By TYLER MORTIMORE
tmortimore@lmcexperience.com
Los Medanos College will be transitioning from its current remedial English offerings to a more modern, streamlined path that department faculty hope will improve student success. The two current five-unit remedial classes — English 70: Fundamentals of English: Reading Writing and Thinking and English 90: Integrated Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking — will be phased out over the 2016-17 acaSee PATH, page 6
Made possible by the LMC Innovations Grant, “An Evening of Cultural Experiences” is set to take place in the Library Community Room L-109 Thursday, May 5 at 6 p.m. Inspired by TED, the event will focus on on the theme of diversity and will feature five LMC students who will share their own cultural experiences. All are welcome to attend the event; seating is limited
Cuisine Club to dunk staffers
Personalizing for graduation
By JASON FIERROS Staff Writer
Los Medanos College is teaming up with Jostens to offer personalized graduation announcements for the May 27 event. For more information visit www.college. jostens.com.
ALLIES ends year with party The LMC ALLIES club will be having a Pre-Pride Party May 18 from 3 to 7 p.m. on the field in front of the Math Building. The event will also serve as an end of the semester celebration with a Holi throwing and a water balloon fight. Tickets are $4 or $6 for a ticket and a shirt. Contact Robert at robertgcampbell95@gmail.com for more information.
Apply now for aide position
Photos by Joseph Delano • Experience
Above, members of the Los Medanos College community evacuated Tuesday, April 26 after a fault in the alarm system indicated a problem in the College Complex. Below, Officer Michael Hotton, middle, Officer David Oleski, left, and Administrative Assistant Beth Robertson work to understand the alarm confusion.
Alarm causes evacuation
Fault in electrical system blamed By JOSEPH DELANO
jdelano@lmcexperience.com
The College Complex was evacuated shortly after noon Tuesday, April 25 after a fault in the alarm system caused it to activate, causing confusion and classroom delays throughout the area. Los Medanos College students, faculty and staff gathered in various evacuation zones around campus, including meeting area “F” in Parking Lot C. Many of the students speculated as to the cause of the alarms. Despite an odd smell around the
Drama Department, Kelly Murell and Anise Gonzalez both thought it was a drill. “Every time the fire alarm goes off, it’s always because someone burnt something in a microwave,” she said. “So that’s what I think happened.” Both students were in their directing class and in the middle of building a set for an upcoming production when the alarm sounded. Many students, like Murell and Gonzalez, recounted the strange smell while being escorted out to the safe zones. See ALARM, page 6
The Los Medanos College Cuisine Club will be holding a dunk tank fundraiser May 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This staff and faculty dunk tank event will help raise money for a food pantry and awareness on the school hunger as well as enhance student’s access to food. LMC will be looking to add on to the other dozen community colleges with food pantries in California. “Students cannot fully concentrate on their academic task if they are hungry or are wondering where and when their next meal will come from,” said LMC Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickleson-Shanks. According to a recent study by University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Sara Goldrick-Rab, Fifty-two percent of community college students lack food security. On top of that, 22 percent of students reported limiting or skipping meals because they couldn’t afford to eat, according to an article in The Atlantic. The Cuisine Clubs’ goal is to create and maintain a food pantry on campus for students who need help getting food. “By creating this access on campus, we hope to ease the minds of all of our students who are food insecure, especially those students that have children relying on them at home,” Nickelson-Shanks said. See DUNK, page 6
Team argues minimum wage
Police Services is searching for applicants as a police aide on campus. For more info on the requirements needed for the position and to download the application, visit 4cd. net/crpa/pd.
Public debate on hot topic issue attracts crowd By TYLER MORTIMORE
tmortimore@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Tyler Mortimore
Debater Collin Brown speaks during the April 27 debate at Pittsburg City Hall.
The decision to raise a minimum wage is always a contentious one, and it provided ample fodder for the Los Medanos College debate team as they took the stage Wednesday night at Pittsburg City Hall to argue over a $15 minimum wage. Professor Kasey Gardner welcomed the full house and explained the rules of the British Parliamentary style debate — four teams of two, two teams to a side,
Government is for the wage increase, Opposition against — and let the debate get underway. Prime Minister Kyle Marshall began the Government’s argument by invoking Dolly Parton’s blue collar anthem “9 to 5,” arguing that while folks are still barely gettin’ by, the new reality is an 8 to 5 workday, which opens the door to wearier workers who will in turn work less efficiently and more dangerously. “America is a strong house, and every strong house needs a stronger foundation,” Marshall argued over the noticeable hiccups of a young audience member. Opposition leader Collin Brown kept up the pop culture motif, arguing that — for minimum wage earn-
See TEAM, page 6