A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • January 2013
Robot honors
Two students earn honors in robotic competition in Japan. Page 3
Shades of hype
Our reviewer says despite all hype, the novel 50 Shades of Grey isn't all that special. Page 5
Who loves you, baby? Librarian Irene Mesina gave Ka La a tour of the college library's temporary location days before construction crews finished pouring the final slab of concrete walkway, which put an end to weeks of uncertainty about the opening.
Love notes
See if someone sent you a campus love note for Valentine's Day. Page 6
Campus crime
Statistics from the Honolulu Police Department show campus may be a safer place than you think. Page 8
Ka La has been voted the best college newspaper in the state by the Hawaii Publishers Association.
Finally
Temporary library opens to students
By Mathew Ursua Ka La editor Almost three weeks into the semester, the library has finally opened in its temporary location, but it’s still missing many of its most popular features, including books. The library, forced to relocate to temporary buildings in the gravel parking lot because of a renovation project in Building 7, had been scheduled to be ready for limited operations when school began this semester. But bad weather and other construction problems pushed back the opening. Librarian Irene Me-
sina said Jan. 18 that the temporary library was furnished and the computers were networked and ready for students to use, but the opening still had to be delayed another week. Brian Furtuto, vice chancellor of administrative services,, said the rainy weather that Mesina in front of the some of the library's few books. The othgreeted students at the ers went into storage during the move. start of the semester was the reason why a “The access ramp was itself from the street.” wheel chair ramp and Furuto said the completed on Sunday... concrete sidewalk were amount of rain was portions of the sidewalk not ready in time for the were not completed,” “well above average.” start of school. Concrete and other Furtuo said in an email By mid-January, construction work to Ka La. “Wheelthe wheelchair ramp cannot be completed chairs could use the was constructed, but during times of severe ramp to get to the door, weather,” Furuto said. concrete could not be poured in time to finish but would have had major difficulty getting a sidewalk leading to See library on Page 2 the ramp. to the ramp portion
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 2
Ka Lā is the campus newspaper of Honolulu Community College. Ka Lā publishes 2,000 copies every month during the Spring and Fall Semesters. Ka Lā and all campus publications are funded by student publication fees and advertising. All materials published in Ka Lā may not be reproduced or reused without permission of the HCC Student Media Board. Ka Lā is published under the supervision of the HCC Student Media Board:
Chairperson Jennifer Kakio Publications Director Matthew Ursua Editor Ieva Bytautaite
Faculty Advisers Emily Kukulies Mike Leidemann
Staff members Hillary Brown Delia Fabro Amanda Rico Noahlani Siaosi Matthew Ursua
January 2013
January 2012
Library open after weeks of delays Continued from page 1
‘“The contractors on the job have done what they could given the inclement weather, but in the end Mother Nature will always dictate construction activity.” The temporary library is housed in one of the modular buildings sitting on what used to be parking spaces in the gravel lot behind buildings 2 and 7. Most of the books went into storage and won’t be coming back until the library returns to its main location in the lobby of building 7. In the meantime, the circulation desk can arrange for books to be transferred from other UH libraries. The library is expected to move back to build"What is available at the library's temporary location?" Librarians: To answer your questions and assist with research. Reserve materials. Cable course DVDs / viewing stations. Computers & printing: 30-minute computing on 10 available PCs; print fee $0.10 per page.
Ka La Photo by Mathew Ursua
Construction equipment and materials outside the college's temporary library on its first day open to students ing 7 after the end of the semester when construction on the first 2 floors is scheduled to finish. Current magazine subscriptions. Daily newspapers. Photocopier. Assistance with acquiring books from other UH campus libraries Access to e-resources (online databases); search for e-books and magazine, journal, and newspaper articles. Library Instruction: Faculty should call the reference desk (845-9199) to request
Librarian Irene Mesina said that computer usage will be limited to the college’s students because research sessions. Limited study space.
"What is NOT be available at the library's temporary location?" No evening or Saturday open hours. Most of the Library's materials are off-campus in storage. Includes: Most books Back issues of magazines
hcckala@gmail.com
Student Media Board Building 2, Room 115 Phone: (808) 845-9213 Submissions Ka Lā invites letters to the editor, articles, events, advertising, and classifieds. Ka Lā reserves the right to refuse or edit submissions. Submissions must be signed and include a daytime telephone number and email address. Editors and writers are responsible for content, which does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HCC faculty or staff.
and newspapers Microfilm (and microfilm machines) Group study rooms are not available. The First Hawaiian Bank ATM is not available during renovation, however ATM services can be found in building 6, first floor across from Financial Aid. University of Hawaii FCU, Spring 2013 - credit union service will relocate to building 6-101.
Longtime librarian says farewell By Ieva Bytautaite
Contact Information
there are fewer computers in the temporary library.
Ka La editor
Having the necessary books available is almost as crucial to passing a class as tests, homework assignments and attendance combined. Students in all colleges and universities spend tremendous amounts of money purchasing books or trying to track them down in public libraries. For the past 13 years, Theresa Kaitner was the middleman between the students and the HonCC and other libraries on the island, helping students request essential books from other campuses. Kaitner, who retired
Kaitner at her retirement party last semester
at the end of last semester, had been working for the UH system for over 30 years. “It’s my dream job,” the Castle High School graduate said. “I used to volunteer back in high school, and I always wanted to be a librarian.” Keeping track of all the requests and having them ready to send to other schools is not an easy job. “It’s a lot of work,”
Kaitner said, pointing to a thick, beat-up, 5-inch binder full of endless sheets of book requests. “I like to help people and that was my job here. Students are very important to me. and I tried to help them as much as I could,” Kaitner said. “I try to remember their names and what books they like.” Although her time at
the HonCC library has come to an end, Kaitner has big plans for the future. An avid reader and dog lover, Kaitner is planning on traveling around the country to visit family and even visit Italy to try and find her grandparents. “I’m sad to leave. I loved my job and the people. The people here are very nice,” Kaitner said. Kaitner is excited about the librarys future and will come back to check once the construction is complete. And with the last book request completed, the thick binder tightly closed, Kaitner said farewell to HonCC.
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 3
Calendar for Spring semester Jan. 28. Last day to drop/ withdraw with 50 percent tuition refund. No refund after today. Feb. 4-April 5. Biggest Loser challenge. See Student Life & Development. Feb. 6. Lunar New Year. Year of the Snake begins. Activities on campus mall and in student lounge. Feb. 14. Valentine’s Day. Feb. 18. Presidents Day. No classes. Feb. 23. Manoa Experience. Free event for students, families, and community to explore Manoa campus. March 1. Excellence in Education Conference. (non-instructional day). Last day to submit Fall 2012 incomplete make-up work to instructors. March 6. Walking Dead. Campus Zombifest. See SLD for details. March 21. Drop Period Ends. Last day to drop/withdraw with a “w” grade. March 21. Keiki Easter Egg hunt on campus. March 25-29. Spring recess. No classes. March 26. Prince Kuhio Day. March 29. Good Friday. April 1. Last day to change major for Fall 2013 early registration. April 8. Registration for summer/fall 2013 classes begins. April 25. STAR (Students Thanked and Recognized ) awards. May 10. Last day of classes. May 2-3. Study period. No classes, no exams. May 4-10. Final exam period. May 10. Commencement ceremonies at Waikiki shell. May 13. Faculty deadline to submit grades for Spring 2013. May 28 -- First summer session begins.
January 2013
Robotic wizards
HonCC students earn honors in Japan
By Mathew Ursua Ka La editor
Two Honolulu Community College students traveled to Japan for a robotics competition last semester and returned home with a fourth and seventh-place finish out of 130 students. The team, which featured construction management major Harris Okazaki and former ASUH Senator-at-large Ryan Yamada, earned the honors in separate categories with their 1-cubic inch robot. Yamada and Okazaki were tasked with getting the small robot to navigate through a maze by itself. Okazaki said he was happy with the results, and that the college’s team placed “better than expected.” The robot was equipped with infrared sensors for navigating and had a Megabitty processor on board. Okazaki knew a little about robotics. “I knew how to do the basic stuff,” he said. Okazaki was an electrical engineering major at UH Manoa. After getting too many bad grades, he was forced to reconsider his options. “I couldn't pass classes,” he said.“My GPA was too low; I couldn't get it above what's required.” Okazaki came to Honolulu Community College two years ago
Harris Okazaki was one of two HonCC students who won top honors at a robotics competition in Japan last semester.
and later learned that a new program was starting up: construction management. “I got lucky,” he said. Okazaki hopes to graduate at the end of this semester. Yamada and Okazaki were accompanied by advisor Norman Takeya, who leads the college’s construction management degree program. Takeya said he’s not a robotics expert, but “I know how to build things.” Okazaki and Takeya said the group had a lot of help. The robot's chassis was made using Michael Jennings’ on campus 3D printer, and others from the
college’s technology, drafting, and science departments pitched in, including Vern Takabayashi from computer sciences. Takeya said that using resources on campus saved the group a lot of money, adding that having a chassis made would usually cost about $300, and it only cost $10 because they could use the 3D printer. The team was competing against students from all around the world, some already pursuing doctorate degrees. “Six countries, 130 students, 4th and 7th, that’s pretty good.” Takeya said.
justice student, and Dulan is a former candidate for the ASUH-HCC presidency. Gagne said he chose to appoint replacements rather than hold a special election. “It would be too redundant to have a special election this semester,” Gagne said, adding that elections for next school year’s officers are already scheduled for mid-April. Two at-large senators were forced to step down over winter break. Gagne would only say that they had to step down for “personal reasons.” “Things happen,” Gagne said, “but if you have a strong administration, you can roll with the punches.”
When asked if the current student government has been able to roll with the punches, Gagne said “absolutely.” Gagne said the success of January’s “Welcome Week” is one example of how strong the administration is even with only three of five Senate seats filled. During previous administrations, vacancies sometimes couldn’t be filled because no one wanted to apply, Gagne said. So he was pleased that four people had applied for the jobs this year. “That’s a good number,” Gagne said. Gagne said that he’s looking for senators interested in serving over the long term.
Two appointed to ASUH posts By Mathew Ursua Ka La editor
Two vacant positions on the school student Senate have been filled after a weeks-long search. Student President Kaleo Gagne appointed Misti Chiechi and Janel Dulan to become the newest senators at large, filling the vacancies left by two senators who had to step down for “personal reasons.” Gagne said that four students applied for the vacant seats and it was a "very, very difficult choice." Both of the appointees showed they were very student centered and showed they'll work hard to make the ASUH process better," he said. Chiechi is an administration of
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 4
New semester off to good start for all Aloha all: Welcome back after a three-week break. I hope all of you are rested and revving yourself up for an amazing semester. If this is your first time on this campus, I want to say WELCOME!!! We had a great start to Spring 2013 with our Welcome Week activities that ran from Jan. 15-17. Tuesday was for our nighttime students, and Wednesday and Thursday were for our day-time students. All three days were a huge success. I want to thank all the people who made this event possible, from the administration to maintenance, to the awesome guys from the Student Lounge who helped set-up and break down the event. I also want to thank all the student groups and outside venues for coming out and supporting our students. I want to thank Student Life and Development for their continuous support. Last, but not least I want to thank my ASUH-HCC Student Government for their hard work for making this event a huge success. Be on the look out for fun events this semester, including College Bowl 2013 which will help The Hawaii Food Bank, and an event that will benefit the families of our students at Honolulu Community College. More information on these in the coming months. We are having ASUHHCC Student Government Elections April 15-19 2013; all positions are up for election: president, vice president, communications director and five senator-at-large positions. I hope your Spring Semester at Honolulu Community College is a huge success.
Kaleo Gagne ASUH-HCC president
January 2013
Friends, activities fill first weeks
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 5
January 2013
Fifty Shades doesn't live up to the hype By Hillary Brown
Review
Ka La staff writer
Fifty Shades of Grey is an enormously popular, best-selling novel by EL James, but even so I’m giving it a C minus rating. It’s average at best. Although many people were shocked and enthralled by this novel and its sequels, for me there wasn't anything extraordinary. I liked the book and the main characters, but due to the slow, even tedious, pace, it was very easy to put it down for a day and not read it. I have a tendency to devour books in one or two sittings, but this book just didn't suck me in quick enough. This book took the slow-build approach and moved at what felt like a sloth-like pace. It isn’t until the last chapters that readers are finally invested in the characters and the relationship. Don't think that I don't realize that foundation building takes time, especially in a trilogy, but this book just seemed to stall out at certain points when I was just pushing through, hoping for more about the relationship
Fifty Shades of Grey is the first book in a Twilight-inspired trilogy by EL James.
rather than the chaos that going on in Ana's mind about .whether to embark on a BDSM voyage or run screaming away from Christian. Many of us have heard this trilogy is similar to the Twilight saga written by Stephenie Meyer. Some would argue that there are similarities, but I would say that if so inclined, one could find similarities between the Twilight
saga and many different romance novels on the market. I am not so inclined, nor do I have the time to go through my many novels to locate similarities. I am not saying that there isn't some wording in Fifty Shades of Grey that sounded similar to something Bella or Edward had said or that the characters didn't share certain character mannerisms because they did, but I would not call Fifty Shades of Grey a Twilight-esque novel. But just because you loved the Twilight saga, it doesn't mean that you will necessarily love the Fifty Shades trilogy. If you are extremely into BDSM or HOT & STEAMY! in your romance novels, you will be disappointed with the scenes in this book. Many of my friends emphasized their shock at the graphic nature of the sex in this book, but it was rather tame in both the BDSM and the H & S departments. There weren't too many drive-by sex
scenes—which I would describe as reading through as characters start with heavy petting and then wake up in each others arms after a great night of sex that we never read through. EL James does a great job of giving the readers hot love scenes, but it wasn't as shocking for me as for some people, since I devour romance novels that range from drive-by sex through erotica. If you like romance novels you will most definitely be interested in this trilogy, and like any trilogy, it is best if you read it from the beginning. It is a necessary read for the rest of the trilogy, so that as a reader you are invested in the relationship and story line. Though this book was slow paced for 75 percent, the last 25 percent makes it worth your while to drag through the slow parts. Don't shy away from this novel like my cousin and I did for the longest time because of the hype it received. If we had kept fighting our inclination to read it, we would never have discovered another great love story.
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 6
Say I
u with cupcakes
By Amanda Rico
Ingredients 2 white cake mixes, either home made or from a box.
Ka La staff writer
Well, it’s that time of year again, Valentine’s Day. Why not bake something sweet instead of buying your gift? Whether you’re thinking about making something for that someone special or some sweets for yourself, who said you can’t be your own Valentine? Surprisingly, this cupcake with a heart inside is super simple and super cute for anyone to have. To begin the process, you need to collect the supplies (see the list at right). Next, you will need to find a mini heart-shaped cutter; the size I chose was 1¼ inch. You can find one in stores such as Ross, Walmart or Executive Chef. If you can’t find one, don’t worry; you can always create a stencil out of paper and trace around it with a sharp knife. Red food coloring will also be needed. For the topping I used a ready-made icing. I chose a white topping just in case I wanted to color it. On top of the icing, put a topping..
Love notes from HonCC students and staff
"Ian Joseph Ramos, you are fabulous! I love your style!" Your secret admirer
1 box brownie mix with extra semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional) Heart-shaped cookie cutter (1 ¼ inch) · Icing (any flavor) · Red food coloring I chose chocolate, of course! What ‘s a Valentine’s gift without chocolate? I used a brownie mix and added ¼ cup of bittersweet chocolate chips. To begin this process, you need two different mixes. I used one box of cake mix and one homemade cupcake recipe. Mix both separately and add the red dye to one. In a baking pan, bake one of the mixes as directed, let cool, and flip the cake sheet upside down on a clean surface and begin cutting the heart shapes out. I baked the one with the red dye as directed. I used an 8x12-inch pan; the key here
"To my future husband with a green and blue eye. I'm looking for you!" ~Talooola Flower
"Becca, you are the apple of my eye. I love you." Yours truly, Sean
"Staff of SLD-You ALL Rock!! Emily and Hillary- We love you!" Someone who loves you!
"Dearest Hillary, You are the sun to my flower!" Someone special
"To Big Papa, "I Mucho Lovey You!"
"I miss you so much! I can't wait to see you again. I love you!" No matter the miles
Love, Big Daddy
January 2013
is to make a sheet cake not too thick or high in order to cut through the cake with the cookie cutter. If you make the cake too thick, the cookie cutter will not touch the bottom and will jeopardize the shape of the heart. Once all the hearts are cut out, prepare the cupcake pans with cupcake liners or use grease. Place a regular kitchen tablespoon of the other cupcake mix in the bottom of the cupcake pan; this is the bottom portion. Then place a heart on top of that. Top the heart gently with more of the first cupcake mix. (If the heart
"To my twin ilo, you da best!" Rude Boi :)
"4,000 miles apart, our love has no boundaries. I love you forever." Hawaii to Texas
"ECE Club Officers and Advisors, Happy Valentine's Day!" ECE President
"Carolynn, you should have went." The SLD Team
starts to drop, ease a toothpick into the heart to hold it up, making sure not to split the heart with the toothpick. Once all cupcakes are covered, place in oven and bake as directed on the box, about 15-20 minutes. They are ready when a toothpick inserted into the cupcake mixture comes out clean. Once the cupcakes are done, decorate as you like. First use the icing. Then sprinkle some brownie crumbs on top. For this topping, I followed the brownie mix as directed and added ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips to give it a hint more of chocolate. It doesn’t seem like much but when biting into a cupcake with the warm brownie topping, you will taste the chips melting in your mouth. Be careful to serve them warm, not hot! This treat will be loved by anyone you give it to and can be shared with others. It’s a great, easy gift for any Valentine on your list. Idea from: Bake It in a Cupcake by Megan Seling
"To the main men in my life: Roderic, Charley, and Twin. I love you guys!" Your "best frannnd"
"My kids-Mucho Love, Family-Missing ya!, Friends-Good Times, Shannon- You're Hot!" "Mystikal"
"Dennis Rabanal, You burn my soul like a hot sizzling tamale." Your Secret Admirer
"To everyone else who didn't get a love note. Happy Valentine's Day" FromThe Ka La staff
KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 7
Januar 2013
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KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 8
January 2013
This map, compiled from Honolulu Police Department reports from Dec. 1, 2012 to Jan. 15, 2013, shows that the campus area, at the center of the circle on the map, has far fewer crimes than nearby neighborhoods, such as Chinatown, Kalihi and the North King Street area. On the map, the the blue dollar signs represent thefts, the black glasses show burglaries and the green icons represent valdalism. The number 4 at the center of the map indicates the crimes that were reported at 871 Dillingham Boulevard, the home address for the campus during the six-week period.
Is our campus safe?
Statistics show we're better than nearby neighborhoods By Noahlani Siaosi Ka La staff writer
With all the recent school shootings, students and teachers alike are questioning the safety of their campuses. National legislators are arguing whether or not to arm teachers, and lawmakers in Missouri are putting higher taxes on “violent” video games. While doing all of this may lower the mass shooting rate, would doing that make our school campuses safe? And should guards at HonCC be armed? “I feel safe here. Security guards shouldn’t be armed. Everyone is a responsible adult and should know right from wrong, ” said Joel Santiago, an Early Childhood student. Max Kanahele, a liberal arts major, agrees with Santiago, adding that “security guards shouldn’t be armed but should carry some type of non-lethal weapon.”
Most students agree with security guards carrying only nonlethal weapons. Campus Security Jay Saribay said, “I feel that we should carry non-lethal weapons, not guns and things of that sort. Being armed makes you more liable for what happens on campus and then you will need extensive training to carry a weapon.” Although many students here at HCC feel guards should carry non-lethal weapons, there are some who strongly voice their opinion against that view. Misty Chiechi, an administration of kustice student, says “Guards should be armed. We shouldn’t wait until something happens to arm guards; by then it’s too late already. Look at all the recent shootings, this is a sign for us to take a step and heighten our level of security here at HCC.” Hawaii’s crime rate is relatively low compared to the Mainland,
and HonCC is a relatively safe area, according to police and federal statistics. School officials say they have no reports of major violent crimes on campus in recent years. And statistics from the Honolulu Police Department show that areas surrounding the campus actually have more crimes than campus and adjacent areas. In the month, between Dec. 1, 2012 and Jan. 15, 2013, for instance, police records show only four crimes reported on or near the HonCC Campus. They included two burglaries, one theft, and one instance of graffiti or vandalism. Police note, however, that other crimes might have gone unreported or been mislocated on the map. Still compared to nearby areas like Chinatown and North King Street, the campus seems to be relatively safe. “I feel safe during the day at HCC,” Kanahele said. “although
the night can get a little creepy.”
One of the night-time crimes occurred during the winter break, when many campus buildings were closed. Before dawn on a Friday, Dec. 20, the little modular building that houses the college's “The Hub” coffee shop was burglarized. It is unclear how many people were involved in the break-in. According to administrator Michael Barros, a cash register was taken. No money was in the register. The break-in was captured on the college's security camera system. Barros, who has not seen the video but had it described to him by a technician, said that the suspects aren’t identifiable. “They had their T-shirts over their heads, and they were tied,” Burros said, “It was dark and grainy—hard to see.”