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A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • April 2012
Vice chancellor
HonCC's new vice chancellor, Brian Furuto, says there are hundred considerations to his job every day. And he wouldn't have it any other way. Page 3
Men walk tall to share aloha for women
Coming out
A HonCC student tells her story of coming out. Page 4
Farmers Market
A new day and time, but still great bargains. Pages 6
Wong's way
Professor David Wong leads students on a cultural journey. Page 7
Ka Lā photo by Janelle Caldeira Honolulu Community College students joined others from around the Island to participate in the annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, held this year at UH-Manoa. By Ieva Bytautaite
Ka Lā staff writer
Miss Jess
For nearly 30 years, she's been teaching ways of cosmetology at HonCC. Page 8
It was hard not to notice the crowd of men staggering around in bright red stiletto heels in front of Hawai`i Hall at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa campus on a rainy afternoon. The students, staff and faculty had gathered to walk and raise awareness to end violence against women in the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event. Honolulu Community College “started this event which became systemwide,” said Kimberley Gallant, coordinator of Mental Health and Services at HonCC and head of the Sexual Violence Task Force and Initiatives. “[HonCC] Carpentry and auto-body students and instructors really work hard to participate and support these events,” Gallant said. The success of “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” has inspired other campuses across the islands to hold similar events. Students from HonCC’s auto-body, carpentry and cosmetology programs participated in the walk, some in heels, others in frilly slippers, and other just holding signs and supporting those who walked.
Ka Lā photo by Janelle Caldeira Participants gathered for a group picture after the walk.
Need help with a domestic violence problem? www.stoptheviolence.org “I’m thankful to all the men who come out to participate and come out of their shell,” said Janelle Caldeira, a cosmetology student from HonCC. Bryce Arakawa, an autobody student, said that strapping
on the stilettos made him “feel tall and it helps men understand what it feels like to be a woman a little better.” “I don’t know how they can do it every Friday,” said Peter Zeng, a student in the Auto-Body and Repair program at HonCC. Many were surprised by how many people showed up despite the rainy weather. See Walk on Page 5
KaLā - News KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 2
April 2012
Learning Exchange Ka Lā is the campus
About 100 students and faculty from Kadan Automotive Technical College in Sendai, Japan, visited HonCC in March. Some of the students stopped by to inspect work done in the auto body and repair program.
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Ka Lā is published under the supervision of the HCC Student Media Board: Chairperson Julia Ching
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Ryan Adverderada Ieva Bytautaite
Janelle Caldeira Janell Celestino Julia Ching
Karla Choto
Jennifer Kakio Nicole Kelley
Leilani Kimura
Adina Murakami Ron Santos
Chester Soriano Tyler Takamiya
Matthew Ursua April 2012
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Interactive art
Ka Lā photo by Matthew Ursua
Sculpture is a campus gathering place
By Ieva Bytautaite
Ka Lā staff writer
Students at Honolulu Community College should know well what it feels like to sit on art. After all, many students spend their breaks relaxing on what look like randomly placed, weathered blocks of cement. But not many know that these comfortable “lounging rocks” are actually part of a sculpture designed by Laura Ruby and built in 1991. “I didn’t even know it was a sculpture,” said a second-year student Luiza Krause. Student Johny Tucker called it “pointless, too abstract and dirty.” But perhaps the significance of the sculpture becomes more evident as one finds out about the meaning of each part of this intricate piece of art. The washed out blue rectangular terrazzo represents the Kapalama Canal running parallel to the campus, and the blocks above it signify the bridge over the canal. The five ovals scattered across the sculpture, which Chyanne Cabrera thought were “dinosaur eggs,” represent the former pineapple-shaped water tower at the nearby Dole Cannery. Perhaps this sculpture can be used to address some other issues on the HonCC campus, like the lack of maintenance on buildings
Ka Lā photo by Matthew Ursua Students use the Mise-en-scene sculpture on the campus mall as a place to rest , meet friends and simply spend a few minutes between classes. as well as other pieces of art on campus. “It needs to be painted and updated,” said Chalaine Antolin, a student at HonCC. The sculpture, which was constructed in 1991, is in dire need of renovation. The paint, which was once bright and colorful, is weathered by sunshine and rain. In some parts the paint is chipping, and strange markings on the over six-feet tall arc make it look forgotten and neglected. One of the security guards on
campus remembers when the statue was once bright and colorful, but after years of being beat by the sun and rain, the sculpture has lost its joyful color. Regardless if one sees and analyzes the artistic side of the sculpture, uses it as a place to hang out, finds it ridiculous or uses it as an argument to highlight some of the problems of HonCC campus, one cannot deny the fact that losing this sculpture would take away a big part of the campus.
KaLā - News KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
April 2012
3
Spring break means the end is near
Ka Lā photo by Ryan Adverado Brian Furuto says his new job as vice-chancellor of administrative services presents challenges and opportunities every day.
New vice chancellor tackles dozens of tasks every day By Ron Santos
Ka Lā staff writer
It seems the work keeps on coming for Honolulu Community College’s new vice chancellor of administrative services, Brian Furuto. Just a semester ago, Furuto was named the acting dean of student services. He had barely enough time to feel comfortable in that job, before he was in line to take over as vice chancellor. “Former VCAS, Ken Kato, a person I admired since I first got here in 2005, first approached me at the start of the Fall 2011 semester and said that he would be recommending that I take his place and serve as interim VCAS when he retires,” Furuto said. So this semester is filled with new responsibilities for the man formerly known as Dean of Student Services. Luckily, Kato is still eager to serve as his mentor. “Everyone should be so lucky to have a guy to help them with some of the decision making,” Furuto said.
“This is truly one of those jobs that you have to think long and hard about whether you want to be in it for a long time." Furuto says some of the things he is working on in his new job include: • trying to bring clarity and effectiveness to the school’s budget development process so that anyone interested on campus can be involved in the process. • ensuring that HonCC’s accreditation report and visit go well. • ensuring that the support services at our college receive the critical resources to do the job right. While the main goal is to educate students, support services and offices such as facilities, employee and student safety and security, fiscal support, admissions and records are as critical as the academic side, he said.
• bringing closure to many of the projects that Kato started, including the Building 7 renovation project, “the largest construction project we have had on the main campus in over three decades.” Along with these projects Furuto services the non-academic part essential to running the campus, ranging from human resources and facility management to government relations and emergency management. “From a day-to-day perspective, there are a hundred different things that go into each of these broad areas,” he said. In his first months on the job, Furuto has put in nearly 70-80 hour work weeks just to stay up to date on his tasks. “This is truly one of those jobs that you have to think long and hard about whether you want to be in it for a long time,” he said. He expressed a tremendous amount of gratitude to his family, his assistant Jane and to Kato All played an important role in supporting him in this transition period, he said.
The end of the semester is quickly approaching, and the finish line is coming into view. The week long hiatus during spring break serves as a much needed recharge for our batteries. After it, we are ready to tackle those last few weeks and finish the school year strong. Some of the campus’s most popular student organizations will be hosting events as the campus winds down.The Student Life & Development team, in conjunction with the ASUH-HCC student government, is proud to bring you the yearly STAR Awards. This is the chance for organizations and other people from the campus to recognize students who have excelled as model students of HonCC. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society will have its spring 2012 induction ceremonies as well as numerous fundraisers to prepare for their summer conference. The fashion technology students are hard at work preparing for their end of the year fashion show in late April. April also brings the always important ASUH-HCC student government elections. If you haven’t already done so, check your @hawaii.edu emails for the timeline of important dates. No experience with student government? Not a problem! We are looking for individuals who want to make something of their time here at HonCC and who are willing to work hard for their fellow students. Stop by the ASUHHCC office, 2-116, and speak to any one of your student government officers. These elections will determine the types of events for the next school year as well as the people who will advocate for your needs and wants to the administration and faculty of our campus. Ryan Adverderada ASUH-HCC President asuhhcc@hawaii.edu 510-545-3921
KaLā - Commentary
Stepping out KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
By Julia Ching
April 2012
4
'I'm proud to say I'm a lesbian'
Ka Lā staff writer
This year is off to a great start for the Queer community. Civil unions are now legal in Hawai’i, and gay marriage has been signed into law in Washington state. This rush of civil liberty has sparked my desire to share my story with the world or at least Honolulu Community College. I knew from the time I was five years old that I liked girls. It was as simple as that. I liked wearing boy’s clothes, I wanted to walk around the house without my shirt on, and I wanted to be just like my dad. Slicked back hair and black denim jeans tucked into my cowboy boots was a look I sported for years. My mom forced me to wear a dress once a week during elementary school. It was torture. Today, I’ve kept the pulled back hair-do, I haven’t worn cowboy boots for years (thank God), and I'm proud to say that I'm a lesbian, but I wasn’t always like this. I grew up going to church, and literally spent most of my time either at church or helping out with church activities. I don’t ever remember being told that “homosexuality is wrong” while growing up, but it wasn’t something I saw in my day-to-day life either. I thought something was wrong with me, and I couldn’t understand why I felt the way I felt about girls, so I just tried to ignore it. As time went on, I began to hate myself because it was clear to me that, according to the church, whom I trusted and considered to be my family, the God I loved so deeply considered homosexuality an unforgivable sin, an abomination in His eyes. I made it a point to try to hide who I was by getting more involved in church activities, with the hope that I could change my sexual orientation or find a way to suppress those feelings enough to continue with my life in a heterosexual fashion, but all that changed when I was 17. I liked her, and I refused to believe that she liked me, even though all the signs were there. I mean, she couldn’t/wouldn’t/ shouldn’t like me because she wasn't just a girl, but a pastor’s daughter as well. Ironically
enough, she did like me and we ended up dating for almost a year and a half. Our relationship was rough. I'm fortunate enough to have a very understanding family and friends, but her parents hated the idea of us being together and often made it a point to make our lives hell, almost as if to give us a taste of what they believed we were fated to endure if we continued breaking her family’s view of God’s “laws.” Our breakup was messy, complicated, and years longer than it needed to be. While many of the issues that led to our breakup were internal, the external pressure from her family and the often skewed society we live in didn’t help either of us deal with the craziness that comes with coming out. I'm now 22 years old, in a healthy and happy relationship, and I wish I had read something like this years ago when I was first trying to figure out who the hell I
was. Fear is a dangerous thing to carry in your mind, and it's something only you can create for yourself. I was afraid to be true to who I am because I was afraid of losing family, friends, and many things that I felt were important to have in my life. Granted I am no longer involved in church activities (or even go to church for that matter), I find peace knowing that if they truly cared about me, they would see past this one small piece of me that I can’t change and treat me no differently than they did before. The people whom I love most have stuck with me and supported me even if they don’t agree with who I am. I'm personally not looking for approval from anyone but myself. What I am looking for from my family, friends, community, and the world is acceptance. I want to know that I have a place in this world, not as a second-class citizen but as a human being with the same rights every single hu-
man being deserves. In the event you are reading this and feel just as confused and conflicted as I was before coming out, please know that things do get better. You might be thinking, “Well that’s easy for you to say. You don’t know exactly what I’m going through, and I just can’t come out right now.” You’re 100% right, I don’t know, but I do know that once I fully embraced who I truly was, I was able to begin to fully embrace life and all of the wonderful things that were in store for me. I wake up every morning knowing who I am and being excited to learn even more. That in itself makes coming out absolutely priceless. If you’re reading this and aren’t queer, but you support the Queer community, thank you for your support. You have no idea just how far a little knowledge and understanding can go. The simple act of acceptance can literally make a world of difference. If you’re reading this and you are against homosexuality and feel that it is a sin, this is all that I ask of you: please hate the sin and love the sinner. You may feel compelled to preach or tell us about our eternal fate, but I can assure you that we don't want to hear it. One day, we will all have to face our God or gods or lack of a god when we pass on to whatever else is out there in the universe. Until then, all we should feel compelled to pursue is love and being loved in return. If you’re reading this and you are queer, well, you already know all of this, and I thank you for sticking with me until the end of my story. Queer or straight, male or female, rich or poor, it doesn’t matter. We're all connected through one common thread: we are all human, and we want to be loved and accepted, so why not start by accepting yourself? Need help with coming out or other GLBT issues? Look for the HonCC Righteous Rainbow page on Facebook or the Life Foundation at www.lifefoundation.org
KaLā - News/Features KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
5
April 2012
Walk aims to end violence against women Continued from Page 1
“This walk was very well advertised. I am highly impressed by how well the information about the event was distributed to students,” said Temi Alamurin, a student at UH-Manoa from Nigeria. “I really hope it continues,” Alamurin said. Besides participating in the walk, students were given free t-shirts, prizes and great memories but most importantly raised awareness for an issue, which is very serious and affects every one of us. According to the National Organization for Women (NOW) website, almost 600 women are sexually assaulted every day in the United States. “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” tries to educate students about this serious issue and brings the sexes together with the power of stilettos.
KA Lā photo by Janelle Caldeira Students from the HonCC Cosmetology Program joined the group at UH-Manoa duirng the annual event.
Student News briefs Colleges profit off student debt
Colleges across the country are raking in millions by giving credit card companies student names and special access to the student body. An investigation by the Huffington Post Investigative Fund found that although some of the credit card industry’s practices are being halted by the new Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act), they can still set up “affinity” contracts with schools. These contracts grant card marketers lists of student names, rights to market at campus events and the right to use the school’s logo, implying the school played some role in negotiating the terms of credit cards companies offer to students. In some cases, schools are paid more if students keep a credit card for at least 90 days, make purchases on the card or carry a balance. While the Investigative Fund was unable to determine how many of the nation’s colleges and universities have these contracts, at least 800 do, mostly with Bank of America.
Tuition hikes around the country
Across the country, states continue to cut higher education budgets and schools are predictably responding with tuition and fee hikes. In California, the California State University trustees are set to propose a 5 to 10 percent increase in fees on the heels of last year’s 32 percent hike. A plan backed by the Governor and Assembly could close enough of the budget gap that CSU would only need the revenue from a 5 percent increase. In Virginia, tuition at Virginia Tech is set to rise 11.1 percent at the same time that 200 faculty and staff positions are cut. Like in California, the Board of Visitors argues the tuition hike is necessary because of another drop to state funding. Further north in Massachusetts, students at the University of Massachusetts campuses will start feeling last year’s $1,500 fee hike as trustees fail to find another way to fill their budget hole. From the National Student News Service
KaLā - profile KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i 6
April 2012
Market offers fresh fruit, veggies, pasta By Leilani Kimura
Ka Lā staff writer
Looking for ways to buy groceries that are freshly picked at a good price? Come down to Honolulu Community College’s farmers’ market, where you will find a variety of fruits, vegetables, jewelry, plants, plate lunches, and pasta. Jenny Pahsouk, one of the vendors at the market, took a few minutes of her time to answer some questions about her family farm located in Kunia. Pahsouk and her family have been farming for about 25 years. When it comes to prices, Pahsouk mentioned that they find the prices of each fruit and vegetable in the stores and match it by 10 cents less or whatever the price is per pound. When asked what is the easiest thing about farming, Pahsouk said, “selling them at farm[ers] markets is the easiest.”
Ka Lā photo by Leilani Kimura The HonCC Farmers Market is full of fresh fruits and vegetables . Another vendor named Mary Finney, sells a variety of pasta with her husband, Gene. The name of the Finney’s noodle shop is called Pappardelle’s, which is a brand of artisanal pastas popular on the mainland. The company offers over 100 flavors of dried pasta and other foods and sells them directly to consumers in limited places
such as farmers’ markets. Realizing how successful Pappardelle’s was on the mainland, the Finneys found out that Hawai`i did not have something like this. With the urge to live there and to start something new, the Finneys moved to Hawai`i and Pappardelle’s has been a success ever since. Some of the pastas are glu-
ten free for people with allergies, while others are made with wheat and other kinds of flour. The most interesting was the dessert pasta. Yes, pasta made from chocolate and used for dessert. Not too sure on how to cook the pasta? That’s OK, the Finneys have added a recipe card and instructions on how to cook the pasta to perfection. When asked what they liked about selling their pasta at Honolulu Community College’s farmers’ market, Mary said, “We are not a local market, but at this farm[ers] market, they don’t care about it being local, so it makes it easier for us to sell our pasta and introduce something new to the people of Hawai`i.” Although the Farmers Market at HonCC is still a little new, applying to become a vendor is very easy, and the stand does not have sell local produce or be owned by locals. Anyone can apply.
HonCC calendar of events for April Monday
Announcements
Tuesday
April
Farmers Market
9
The market is now
Thursday
3
4
Biggest loser weigh-in day
Easter Egg Hunt Building 11 field
2 Last day to drop/withdraw with W grade Last day to change major for fall
The HonCC
day has changed.
Wednesday
Last day to submit fall 2011 make up grades
Friday
5 Good Friday, School closed
12
11
13 Saturday, April 14: Malama Aina Day, Kahana Valley
open from 4 to 8 on Saturdays in the Dillingham
15
parking lot.
16 ASUH elections my uh portal for more information
The HUB is giving away brewed coffee grounds to
23
24
18
17
19
ASUH elections my uh portal for more information
ASUH elections my uh portal for more information
ASUH elections my uh portal for more information
ASUH HCC Culture Days
ASUH HCC Culture Days
ASUH HCC Culture Days
25
26 Star Awards -- Students Thanked and Recognized
anyone who would
27 Saturday, April 28 Annual Fashion Show
like to enhace thier garden. Stop by and see them for more information.
30
May
2
3
4
KaLā - Profiles KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
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Doing it the Wong way
Professor takes students on a cultural journey By Ieva Bytautaite
What students do in their spare time on campus By Tyler Takamiya
Ka Lā staff writer
His legs crossed, a cup of coffee in hand, David Wong sits in his office, which looks more like a museum than a workspace. Pictures and souvenirs cover the walls of his small office, leaving one to wonder where each artifact has come from. Wong, a professor of Asian studies and religion at Honolulu Community College, is not the most approachable guy on campus. With his Einstein-like hair, a serious face, and a reputation for being blunt and outspoken, he often intimidates many of his students. Wong is reluctant to speak about his past. Born to Chinese parents in Singapore, he attended schools in Hawaii and England. “I was culturally confused and bi-cultured,” Wong said. It is impossible to pry out what prestigious university Wong attended in the United Kingdom. His response to this question is a slight smile, a shake of his head, and “it doesn’t matter.” He does, however, have a lot to say about a region of the world he is quite fond of: Asia. Early on, he saw the potential in growing nations in South and Southeast Asia. “People laughed and thought I was joking,” Wong said about seeing potential in the region. That is why Wong organizes trips to South and Southeast Asia every year, which allows students to see a different side of Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and Singapore. Each summer Wong selects students and takes them on a journey through these countries, leaving the tourist places for the ignorant travelers, and instead showing the students a true side of these not well-known countries. “It’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong. I want students to see the cultural differences,“ he said. Wong enjoys teaching at HonCC because it is so culturally and ethnically diverse. In fact, he passed up an opportunity to teach in a Chinese university in Hong Kong and instead chose his current position as a religion and Asian
April 2012
Ka Lā staff writer
Jeffrey Ken Kanemoto "A various assortment of legal activities.” This often consists of hanging out with friends around campus.
Hannah Cordill Gets together with other audio-engineering students and plays music in the lounge.
Ka Lā photo by Ieva Bytautaite David Wong in his book-filled office on the sixth floor of Building 7.
“It’s not about who’s
right and who’s wrong. I want students
to see the cultural differences."
studies professor. Although David Wong veers off from personal questions, an
afternoon chat with him will leave anyone with more knowledge than they came with. Besides knowing more than four languages, which include Chinese, Indonesian, English and Malaysian, Wong knows what he is talking about when it comes to the economical future of Asia. One is sure to leave his office with a slight headache, which could be due to information overload. Or maybe it’s just the smell of old books, which dent the shelves of Wong’s numerous bookcases.
Alika Ho
Goes to the Native Hawaiian Center and does homework in the computer lab. Hangs out with friends, eats, talks on the phone and goes to Costco.
KaLā - News
Ms. Jess does it with style KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i
April 2012
8
After 29 years, she still has the passion for teaching By Janell CELESTINO
Ka Lā staff writer
Jess Aki has spent nearly 40 years in the cosmetology industry. Twenty-nine of those years have been at Honolulu Community College. Being an instructor isn’t always easy, but it is rewarding, she says. One highlight she has had as a teacher was when she became the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010. She was surprised, humbled, and a little teary-eyed because she thought there were other educators who were more deserving of receiving the award. Ms. Jess, as everyone at HonCC knows her, says she was just doing her job. She has also won 11 Po’okela Hawaii Theater Council Awards in wigs and makeup. Her first encounter with theater work was when she volunteered at Hawaii Opera Theater and was trained to help in different community theaters projects. The work consisted of research and creativity with little pay and was an outlet outside of teaching which challenged her to develop her skills. For twenty years she was able to work in the salon and the classroom at the same time. One of her most memorable moments while teaching was when a student stood at her doorway with a clenched fist at her and his face was as “red as a tomato.” He told Ms. Jess how much he hated her. She looked at him and said she was sorry he felt that way because she did not hate him. Three years later she received a four-page apology from that same man saying how wrong he was and how she was right in what she was trying to teach him. “I’ll always remember that his face was so red,” she said. When he became an instructor she bumped into him at a Cut-aThon, and he told his class who she was. They were eager to ask Ms. Jess how he was as a student, and he gave her permission to be honest with them. But as caring, encouraging, and forgiving as Ms. Jess is, she never mentioned the incident. She knew he had earned his right to be an instructor and
Ka Lā photo by Seisha K. Yamaguchi Jess Aki has spent nearly three decades teaching students at Honolulu Community College in the cosmetology program. that she could not “discredit” his accomplishments. Her response to their question was, “He was not the worst student, not the best student, but whatever he tried to do he did his best.” In order to be successful as cosmetologists, she tells her students that they should be teachable, open-minded, and flexible to adapt to their employers’ tech-
niques. As her former student, I loved her drive and attitude about Cosmetology and how she always encouraged her students. She would often reassure us sweetly that “It will come,” pertaining to our skills. She always praised our work whenever we asked for her opinion. She always complimented our creativity and thought
process. Often she would have bulging eyes that almost demanded “What is that?” but would always be sweet about it and give us a compliment to let us know we have the potential to be successful cosmetologists in the future. As an instructor, Ms. Jess makes it a point to do three things. She gives out progress reports so that her students know which areas they need to practice in order to do well on their exams. She also lets them know how she will grade them on their exams. Lastly, Ms. Jess wants to be approachable to her students so that they have no fear in asking questions or going to her for help. Ms. Jess always teaches from a student’s perspective, taking into consideration their needs above her own. She trained to become a cosmetologist at Hollywood Beauty College, then worked for three years “behind the chair” as a cosmetologist before she attended Trendsetters Beauty College to become a cosmetology instructor. While taking her state board exams to receive her cosmetology teaching license all those years ago, Aki picked from a fish bowl a topic for which she had 15 minutes to prepare, a topic she would never forget: permanent waving, which according to many, is one of the hardest areas in cosmetology to master. Many things have changed over the years, whether they be changes in safer chemical services, new styling tools, or styling techniques, but one thing will never change: Ms Jess Aki’s passion to train and mentor as many successful cosmetologists at Honolulu Community College as she can.
Cosme takes care of everything from hair to nails Honolulu Community College is the only place in the University of Hawaii system that offers a cosmetology program. The program is designed to prepare students for the Hawai‘i State Board of Cosmetology examination to become a licensed cosmetologist in Hawaii. Students receive a minimum of
1,800 hours of lecture and handson experience as part of a a teaching method called Pivot Point, an international system that revolutionized hair and beauty education. The cosmetology program also offers a full slate of services, ranging from shampooss, styles and cuts to facials, makeup, nails and
waxing to faculty, staff, students and the public. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 on Mondays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. For more information about the program or to make an appointment for services, call 845-9131 or 845-9150.