March issue

Mt. San Jacinto College

THE TALON THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER

MARCH 2017

VOL. V

ISSUE I

Women’s March Draws Millions

Lady Eagle Basketball Wins

The Oscars: Politics vs. Art

A global community of men and women unite to raise awareness.

Women’s basketball team comes out on top with an OT victory. page 5

Have the Academy Awards become biased to the current political climate? page 6

page 4

MSJC’s STEM Program Discontinued

By Serena Steele In 2011, Mt. San Jacinto College received a $4.2 million federal grant intended to expand educational opportunities for students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field. Over the course of the next five years, MSJC received more than $800,000 a year, initiating the creation of the STEM program. Last fall marked the final semester the college received funding for the program, “The US Department of Education made some radical adjustments to their request for application (RFA) process,” said Rebecca Teague, Dean of Institutional, Effectiveness, Planning & Grants at MSJC. “The new RFA focused on research-based models that did not match the needs of our institution.

Therefore, Mt. San Jacin-

STEM bulding on the Menifee Valley campus to College opted to not compete for funding this cycle and did not submit an application for new funding.”

Mt. San Jacinto College was the recipient of a total of two US De-

partment of Education Hispanic-Serving Institution STEM grants over the last decade. The first STEM grant was received in 2006, beginning Oct. 1 of that year and ending Sept. 30 in 2011. The sec-

Photo by Noah Colomé ond, $4.2 million dollar grant occurred between Oct. 1, 2011 and Sept.

30, 2016.

The most recent STEM grant approved in 2011 sought to provide opportunities to enhance

the institution’s capacity to improve the success of students completing a degree and/or transferring to a four-year university or college in a STEM field, particularly Hispanic and underpre-

pared students. The additional funding “should help double the percentage of Hispanic students who earn degrees in the STEM field by the 20152016 academic year,” according to the MSJC website.

“This $4.2 million will benefit all of MSJC students while also focusing on a core group that has historically been under-represented in the STEM areas,” said Teague in 2011. “This will allow MSJC to purchase equipment and create programs that will benefit the entire student body at MSJC.” According to the MSJC website, some examples of how the grant funding would benefit students included: Providing additional instructional support to MSJC students, develop more learning communities where students receive strong

Cont.

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2

Ernie the Eagle Gets Even Greater Presence on Campus

By Kyle Selby As you may know, Mt. San Jacinto College’s beloved mascot is none other than Ernie the Eagle. What you may not know, is that Ernie now has a couple of doppelgängers around our various campuses than he has in the past. But do not fret; this isn’t a case of identity theft.

“Students of all ages have fun taking selfies with him and posting to social media” - Beth Bowels

Cardboard Ernie

Photo by Kyle Selby

“Ernie does his best, but cannot be at all places at all times,” explained Beth Bowles, Outreach Service Assistant. “Cardboard [who is

actually corrugated plastic] Ernie travels with the MSJC Outreach Department to different events and makes himself available for campus tours also!”

Bowles and the rest of MSJC Outreach promote student access and success through the development of student awareness about the opportunities at MSJC, making it the college of choice for prospective students. They provide outreach services to all levels of the K-12 system, with a focus on students preparing to graduate high school. Ernie’s appearance in local happenings both on and off-campus is imperative to the publicity and spirit of MSJC.

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Photo by Ted Groves

Ernie the Eagle at Ted x

2

California Drought Coming to an End?

By Noah Colomé On Feb. 1, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) urged California Governor Jerry Brown and the State Water Resource Board to declare an end to the current state of emergency concerning the drought.

“The time is right and we hope the governor and the state board will take appropriate actions to let all Californians know that we are no longer in an emergency,” said the EMWD President. “EMWD customers- as well as those throughout the state – have heeded the call to action during this unprecedented time. It is now for the state to do Field by Menifee Valley parking lot.

Photo by Noah Colomé

the same.”

The EMWD board voted unanimously to lower the Utility’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan from stage 3 to stage 2.

The plan was a response comprised by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to deter excessive water use by establishing monetary penalties to those who exceed a set water budget. Now, if customers exceed water budgets, they will no longer pay significantly higher.

However, on February 8 the (SWRCB) Boards decided to extend regulations for an indeterminate amount of time.

On Jan. 17, 2014, Brown declared the drought a state of

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4

2 | CAMPUS

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

Blackboard’s Final Days MSJC to switch to Canvas in fall 2017

By Kyle Selby MSJC has been a Blackboard school since the inception of its online program in 2001.

However, with graduation rates not where they wanted them to be, they decided it was time to make a change.

In 2014, the Online Education Initiative (OEI) was funded by California Governor Jerry Brown, and was tasked with championing a program that would improve graduation rates for community college students.

They put together a proposal which targeted students who had a hard time completing courses that they needed to graduate, and looked at best solution to get students through their AA degree. They decided they were going to offer online courses throughout different community colleges through an exchange program.

The goal was to select a single location where students can find courses within the entire California Community College System. But to deliver those courses, they needed what is called a “common-course management system”.

The Selection process was in Sacramento, winter 2015, where the OEI evaluated Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle (a Virginia-based company). An Ad-Hoc com-

Photo by: Noah Colome mittee through the Educational Tech Commitee was created with representation from administration, faculty, classified, and students, who examined the different platforms through a presentation process.

Del Helms is the Distance Education Activity Coordinator at MSJC, and one of his primary functions is to assist faculty with any distance

education needs they might have, and to plan a course of action for the future for the school’s technological needs.

“We basically created a rubric of criteria of what features we thought the products needed to have, and we evaluated the products against the rubric, not against each other,” said Helms.

“And we decided that canvas was going to be

the better fit, especially for the future.”

Display capabilities on mobile devices were one of the biggest deciding factors in the selection.

Helms claims there was a simplicity of design in canvas that seems to be more geared toward a student preference.

The committee recommended to the Academic Senate that MSJC adopt Canvas as a course

management system beginning in the fall of 2017. In the meantime, MSJC would work on transitioning from Blackboard to Canvas this Fall, which already offers about 25 course sections, and Helms predicts that we will have 50-75 course sections in the spring.

“They decided there was going to be a better partnership with Canvas,” said Helms.

“Blackboard is kind of the 800-pound gorilla in the room; they’ve basically designed a course management system for instructors to teach with.

Canvas has created a course management system for students to learn from.”

At the time of the selection process, only five of 113 California community colleges were using Canvas. Today, 94 of them have since adopted the system.

“It was time to change.

[Blackboard] had just gotten so big, and they didn’t keep up with the transition to mobile very well at all.”

According to Helms, the OEI had so much infusion of money, that they were able to pay for Canvas for all colleges that adopted it for the first two years. The annual licensing fee will be paid for by the OEI, which was an incentive considered during selection.

Helms is currently

MSJC Stem Program Discontinued

teaching an eight-week class on Canvas, as well as “Introduction to Canvas” workshops held at both MVC and SJC usually once a week. Faculty members can enroll, and work at their own pace, where they are offered blank “sand-box” courses, which allows them to start building a course from scratch in the new system.

“It’s going to be a little cumbersome,” admitted Helms, when asked about faculty being required to make the switch. “They’re different course management systems, so there’s not a seamless integration between the two.”

However, Helms is hopeful that the benefits from the adoption outweigh the doubt. “When you log into Canvas it’s just intuitive. It kind of makes sense of what you need to do and where you need to go, especially if the instructors have set up the course well.”

When Canvas is officially instated, students will continue to use the same log-in information, just in a different location. In Canvas, users can adjust their notifications to their preferences; so personal email addresses, and/or phone numbers can be connected through Canvas for students who want to keep up with their grades conveniently.

Ernie on Campus From Page 1 “Ernie is very popular at our athletic events, parades, and other activities,” added Karin Marriott, Director of Public Information & Marketing at MSJC. Marriott and Bowles both hope that Ernie’s enhanced presence on each campus will encourage awareness of our college.

Summer Bridge event sponsored by the STEM program From page 1 academic support, work closely with instructors and counselors, and fund three new faculty coordinator positions and provide faculty training.

The 2011 grant was shown to be highly effective in improving the success, retention, and persistence of students that participated in the STEM grant program cohort.

“Students that participated in the STEM grant cohort, on almost all success indicators, were shown to have higher course completion, success, and retention than students that were not affiliated with the program. Additionally, the grant was found to improve the graduation rates and transfer rates of STEM students, particularly for the Hispanic and underprepared populations,” Teague explained.

Several of MSJC’s peer institu-

tions, like San Bernardino Valley College, also opted not to pursue new funding given the distinct change in grant focus.

“It was determined that the newly revised grant did not meet the needs of our STEM program,” said Dr. Crystal Anthony, previous STEM Instructional Support Activities Coordinator.

STEM students that participated in the program won’t see any major impacts to their day-today experiences at Mt. San Jacinto College. What they may experience is that there is no longer a counseling team specifically dedicated to the STEM program and its students.

“Students can still access general counseling services as needed and be provided with the same quality of academic, career and personal advising support,” said Teague. “Many of our counselors are cross-trained and are very knowledgeable regarding a

Courtesy of MSJC myriad of disciplines and programs at the College. Therefore, students can expect to receive the same services -- just not via a dedicated STEM counselor.”

Students may also notice that there are not as many workshops, events, or activities specifically related to STEM, including STEM based lectures, workshops, and extra curricular activities.

Mt. San Jacinto College determined that these practices were so effective that they were adopted into the general fund budget, including Supplemental Instruction(SI), in-class advising, counseling, and the adoption of an electronic student education plan module.

“It was very helpful to have a STEM counselor who knew what they were talking about when it came to the requirements in my field,” said James Hodge, Computer Science ma-

jor. “After they left, no one informed me. I just got an email one day saying [the counselor] was no longer at the school, so I didn’t know who to talk to.”

MSJC is currently in pursuit of exploring other funding opportunities related to the STEM fields. Additionally, through the funding of the Measure AA Bond received in 2014, Mt. San Jacinto expects to build two new STEM buildings on both the Menifee and San Jacinto campuses. The institution is currently awaiting approval for construction to commence.

In the meantime, students still have the opportunity to join MSJC’s STEM club. Meetings are every Friday from 1:00pm2:00pm on the Menifee Valley campus.

For more information about the STEM club, contact sjcstemicc@gmail.com or acuatok@ msjc.edu.

“Students of all ages have fun taking selfies with him and posting to social media, which we encourage especially if they hash-tag “#msjc” or “#msjcselfie” as it raises awareness of MSJC!” exclaimed Bowles.

Ernie will be present at most community events, however the Outreach Department are still looking for new and creative ways to use this new addition to the MSJC family. He can be found by appointment at the Menifee Valley Campus in room 1016, or on the San Jacinto campus in room 1304.

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

CAMPUS | 3

Student Spotlight: Tammy Russell

By Tammy Russell Right after graduating from MSJC in May of 2016, I left for Silver Springs, Maryland to attend my orientation as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hollings Scholar. There, along with other scholars, I learned about the various divisions within NOAA, went on field trips and established contacts with division leaders. The day after I attended orientation, was TEDxMSJC; an event that had taken me over a year of planning, along with a great group of student and faculty volunteers. It was incredible to host such a wonderful event. The videos can been watched on the TEDx Youtube page.

After an extremely busy year at MSJC, a summer off from school was tempting. But UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) had just developed a summer program for incoming transfers and I jumped at the opportunity to start my courses. During this 5-week program, I lived on campus and was able to take two courses, attend workshops and set up meetings with professors and labs. Looking back, it was a great decision to attend and it better prepared me for my fall quarter.

Over that summer, I applied for and received a volunteer position in the Costa Lab at UCSC, as-

sisting in research on elephant seals. I began the position in the fall, going into the field and locating tagged individuals. It is now breeding season, and when we go out.. It is crazy! There are newborn pups everywhere, along with protective, aggressive females. There are also massive, mature males, that can weigh over 4,000 pounds, fighting each other. I’ve found these big males can move much faster than you would think and being on the beach during this time requires you to work in pairs so you can watch out for each other. It is really amazing to work alongside these giants. I also have written a blog post for the lab and will continue to do so throughout the year.

I have enjoyed working in this lab so much that I have started developing a senior thesis with the data on these seals. Completing a senior thesis is optional for my degree, but is recommended for those that plan to go to graduate school and is a chance at completing a project that has the potential for publication, which is one of my goals during my undergraduate.

Fall quarter, I also starting volunteering for a nonprofit, called Oikonos. I assist with habitat restoration for seabirds on Ano Nuevo Island, just across from where I do the fieldwork

Courtesy of Tammy Russell with the elephant seals.

While we work there, we are surrounded by elephant seals, sea lions, otters, and seabirds; it is an unreal experience. This coming spring, I will be participating in an internship with Oikonos on the island for course credit with UCSC. We will be monitoring populations a variety of seabird species that come to nest on the island each spring.

I also assist in their lab, conducting necropsies on seabirds that have been caught and killed in longline fisheries. These fisheries have a cap on the number of birds that can be caught as accidental bycatch, which is enforced by NOAA. NOAA sends these birds to the Oikonos lab where

we dissect them to look at injuries, sex and age of the birds. We also look at contents of their stomachs, which often contain plastic marine debris; the last time I was in the lab I found a large, plastic clothespin in the stomach of a Laysan Albatross. This experience has taught me so much, from

proper lab procedure to seabird anatomy.

Along with financial support through my NOAA Hollings Scholarship, I also get to participate in a paid summer internship. For my internship, I will be working with National Marine Fishies in Ford Island in Hawaii. Coincidentally, this internship was assigned to me around the same time I started volunteering at Oikonos, and unknowingly to me, these two groups already work together. During my internship, I will be analyzing data on albatross bycatch by longline fishing by combining data from NOAA and Oikonos, the same data I had been helping to collect during necropsies. It is a strange connection, that has worked out perfectly. By the end of the summer, I will have finished a sizable and publishable project.

Outside of school, I am heavily involved with a variety of social activism in the area, from continuing to promote protection to Burrowing Owls to women’s rights. On the weekends, I can be found out bird watching along the coast or hiking through the redwoods looking for reptiles and amphibians.

From my time at MSJC, I found that I work best when I have a lot on my plate, so doing research and fieldwork, on top of my classes, has really

helped me in this transition. My classes, so far, have been fun and I am enjoying being able to take upper-level courses that are relevant to my degree. I am already preparing for the next step, and will be taking my GRE this spring and applying to PhD programs this fall.

I am grateful that I was able to attend MSJC. Having been to several community colleges, before moving to the Menifee area, the quality of education I received at MSJC surpassed anything I had experienced beforehand. I encourage students to reach out to professors, they are potential mentors, advisors and friends. Those connections you make will benefit you in the future, from letters of recommendation to advice on what colleges, programs, grad schools you should look at. I know that those connections that I made during my time there are the reason I believed I was able to not only go on to finish my bachelors, but they are the reason I know that it is possible to go on to obtain my PhD. My time at MSJC has changed my life and I encourage you all to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to you and to create opportunities that you would like to see offered.

UNLIMITED BUS RIDES WITH YOUR STUDENT ID

Thanks to the Go-Pass program, students at Mt. San Jacinto College get unlimited rides on Riverside Transit Agency buses. Whether it’s a lift to class, work or the movies, or a CommuterLink express bus to the beach, just swipe your student ID for endless rides anytime we operate, anywhere we go. For schedule and route information, call RTA at (951) 565-5002 or go to RiversideTransit.com.

4 |NATIONAL

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

Women’s March Draws Millions

By Jamee Menez On January 21st, the day after Donald Trump’s Inauguration, more than 5 million women and men flooded the streets to protest man and a campaign who they believe has “insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us.”.

The Women’s March On Washington started with a Facebook post by a woman named Rebecca Shook and spawned the largest single-day demonstration in U.S. history.

After Shook posted about her disappointment in the election of Donald Trump, she called upon women and men alike to join in on the march saying that it will, “send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world that women’s rights are human rights.”.

Once Shook created an event page and began to spread news of the march, the movement quickly gained momentum. Citizens marched not only in Washington, but in over 600 sister marches in Columbia, London, Nairobi, Australia, and even Menifee’s neighboring city of Los

Angeles.

“This march is what will change everything.,” said Jasmine Jones, Communications and Women’s Studies major at MSJC, who attended the march.

“Women, immigrants, the LGBT community, they are all welcome here and they are all important. We must fight for them.”

Despite its title re-

flecting women, the organizers of the march assured that the goal of the demonstration was inclusivity, no matter the issue of the participant, all were invited to march.

Word of the Women’s March spread even further and grew more popular with the support of a large number of celebrities. Singer, Madonna made a surprise appear-

Courtesy of Women’s March Facebook ance to give a speech like Janelle Monae, and with a declaration to “the the Indigo Girls. Celebrebellion, and to our re- rity social media accounts fusal as women to accept flooded with quotes and this new age of tyranny. photos from the march, Where not just women encouraging women to are in danger, but all mar- join in or donate to orgaginalized people.”. Amer- nizations like the ACLU ica Ferrera, Scarlett Jo- and Planned Parenthood. hansson, Mindy Kaling, In the weeks leading up Olivia Wilde, Paul Rudd, to and after the Women’s and Questlove are some March Planned Parentof those in attendance hood received 40 times along with musical guests more in donations than

they normally do, due to the increased amount of publicity.

Millions considered the march an overwhelming success, but one question still on many people and politician’s minds is whether or not the movement is here to stay. Many have speculated on whether or not the momentum from the event will fuel women, or fade away. In response to these questions, the official Women’s March On Washington’s website announced their plan for ‘10 Actions in 100 Days’.

The plan includes forming ‘huddles’, which the site defines as ‘a small group of people holding an informal conversation’. The huddles across the globe are aimed at creating a strong sense of community and inclusiveness, much like the purpose for the march.

As of now, there are over 3,000 huddles and the continuation seems to remain strong. Despite this, the question for many remains, will the Women’s March movement be able to gain the equality and justice they seek?

MSJC Professors React to C.A. Drought President Trumps Stance on Climate Change

Courtesy of AP/Rick Wilking/TTstudio via Shutterstock/Photo montage by Salon

By Patrick Arellano There’s an old story from the 12th century about a wise and humble king who demonstrated the power of nature when compared to earthly authority. “Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but he whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws,” King Canute famously proclaimed. Well move over, Canute; Donald Trump says he’s that king.

President Donald Trump has placed his authority over that of nature and proclaimed climate change to be a hoax. He also has plans to take the United States out of the Paris Climate Deal. These proposals have been met with cold reception from the scientific community, especially the faculty and students of Mt. San Jacinto College.

Alex Cuatok, math professor at MSJC, has expressed disappointment in Trump taking the U.S. out of the climate change initiative and the cuts to the EPA’s budget. “I feel that many of the U.S. scientists will be discredited and move abroad with their knowledge and expertise.”

Math and Science tutor Mercedes Zepata, has also voiced objections to this policy. “Trump’s stance on global warming scares me, and [the fate of] our future being environmentally friendly,” said Zepata.

Jason Hlebakos, environmental science professor, asserts that Trump’s stance is ill-timed and hazardous. “From an environmental perspective and for the sake of humanity, this would be a very dangerous move,” says Hlebakos.

“The Paris Agreement did not arise in a vacuum. It is of course the first significant agreement to come about since the Kyoto Protocol and so represents decades of negotiation, but it is also coming about at time when it is most feasible to meet the goals.”

So why has such a seemingly serious threat like climate change been politicized? Hlebakos believes it isn’t due to one single factor. “Oil. Money. And a real opposition to admitting that there is a problem that needs to be dealt with,” he argues.

Zepata concurs, “I’m fearful for less regulations on big corporations that are willing to exploit not only people, but natural resources for their financial gain.” Hlebakos claims that those fears are not only

misguided, they’re also harmful.

“Today, the energy future is more promising than ever,” explained Hlebakos. “Renewable energy is– for the first time ever–cost-competitive with fossil fuels. There is essentially no reason to not curb carbon emissions.”

Despite the president’s stance on climate change, the question remains: should it still be taught at MSJC’s science classes? Hlebakos thinks so. “[Climate change] belongs in the curriculum of courses that span many disciplines,” he says. “In fact, this is perhaps the most profound issue of our time and it probably deserves airtime in virtually all courses in higher education. In essence though, you cannot teach core principles of environmental science without addressing climate change.” Cuatok and Zepata share this stance as well.

“We need future scientists to continue to understand our environment and promote awareness to the public,” said Cuatok.

“I think that even if the president doesn’t believe in global warming, the environmental sciences should still keep it in its curriculum,” added Zepata.

From Page 1 emergency along with a list of executive orders to combat the ever prevalent drought. Many factors led to this extreme drought, including 2014 temperatures, which was the hottest year on record for California. NOAA said the annual average temperature then was 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2.3 degrees Celsius, warmer than the 20th century average. In the San Joaquin valley, a permanent loss of ground water caused the entire valley to sink several feet, and triggered seawater to backwash into the groundwater reservoirs in Santa Barbara according to the United States Geological Society (USGS).

The 2016-2017 winter has provided locals of the state with a new hope. Reservoirs have been holding at or above the historic average for four months. Snowpack is at 179% of the historic average as of Feb. 9 according to the Pacific Institute for freshwater solutions. The precipitation became so intense that Brown had to declare a new state of emergency on Jan. 23 warning against mudslides, flooding, and over-snowing.

“We are experiencing vast improvements in agricultural and domestic water supplies over much of the state. There are promising signs of recovery, but, at this time the recent rains are a temporal reprieve from multiyears (at least 5 years) of drought conditions” said Dr. Roy B. Mason, Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences at MSJC. “Whether or not the current levels of precipitation will continue throughout the remainder of the “wet cycle” year, and if that precipitation will be available for the long term needs of the state are still to be seen.”

EMWD hopes that the conservation project will focus on long term

efficiency practices and begin deregulation. However, contrary to wetter weather, local reserves, such as Lake Matthews and Lake Skinner, are still lower now than they were before the drought started.

“The concern of climatologists is that global climate change data gathered over the last 100 years is showing an overall rise in the atmospheric temperature of the earth. Over the last 40 years or so there has been a significant decline in the amount of fresh water tied up in alpine glaciers (non-alpine glaciers as well particularly Greenland and Antarctica),” Mason cautions.

“This is significant for Central and Southern California as our hot, dry summers require a steady supply of water for the 20+ million people and agricultural enterprises that are found here,” Mason continued.

“Mid-summer the once year-round glacier water supply is gone. So even if we have a greater than average snowpack the concern is will we have the storage capacity (mainly in reservoirs behind our major dams) to supply the needs until the next wet season.”

Gov. Jerry Brown has not yet declared an official end to the drought, and whether or not the drought will return still remains to be seen.

“If 2017 turns out to be a single wet year followed by more dry years we could still be in the throes of an increasingly serious drought,” said Mason. “Even if the current weather patterns hold, the worst drought in California in modern history has left its mark on the state. I am not a hydrology expert, but, I feel comfortably in predicting that water conservation will basically be a way of life for those of us in the Inland Empire far into the future.”

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

SPORTS | 5

Lady Eagle Basketball Wins Double OT

Crystal Malveaux

Courtesy of MSJC

Lady Eagle Softball Team Wins PCAC Game

The MSJC women’s basketball team out lasted Los Angeles Trade Tech on Feb. 24 to win 105-96 in double overtime in a CCCAA Southern California Regional second round game played in LA. The Lady Eagles clung to a two point halftime lead 42-40 and were able to stretch it out to a 6050 lead midway through the third quarter before Trade Tech rallied back to make the game close the rest of the way.

The two teams battled through a back and fourth final period of regulation and were forced into overtime with the score tied at 82 all. In the first overtime

the two teams traded baskets with MSJC missing a gamewinning attempt with one second to play.

In the second overtime Crystal Malveaux, one of five Lady Eaglesto have a double double on the night, had two huge offensive rebounds and put backs to give MSJC the advantage.

Delacy Brown added four free throws down the stretch to put the game away. Malveaux finished the night with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists to lead MSJC to victory. Brown also had 26 for the Lady Eagles as she pulled in 13 rebounds as well and had a game high 7 assists.

Randi Johnson record-

ed a double double as well with 19 points and 16 rebounds, while Kaila Gower came off the bench to score 17 points and haul down 14 boards.

Nokomis Cabrera was the fifth MSJC player to have a double double as she finished with 11 points and 10 boards.

The win improved the Lady Eagles record on the season to 26-4, they will play the winner of the Antelope Valley/Mt. San Antonio game March 4 at 7 pm. If Mt. SAC is the winner MSJC will travel to Walnut for the game if AVC was to win the Lady Eagles would host them on March 4th.

Trade Tech ended their strong season at 22-8.

Golf Team Opens With Second Place Finish The MSJC men's golf team shot a 384 on Feb. 22 to place second in the first Pacific Coast Athletic Conference match of the season.

The Eagles, who played at historic Torrey Pines Golf Club, were led by Vincent Brunet who shot a 72. Richard Schweitzer and Kieran Blundell were next for MSJC as the pair each shot 76. Sam Proctor and Austin Crenshaw each carded an 80 while Tyler Galleher turned in an 85. Brunet's 72 not only led the team, but also tied him for medalist honors on day. College of the Desert took the early lead in the conference standings as they shot a 376 to take first place in the team standings. Palomar was just behind the Eagles in third with a 387 while Cuyamaca took fourth and El Camino came in fifth.

Richard Schweitzer

Hannah Morton The MSJC softball team erupted for 11 runs in the final four innings on Wednesday to win 11-2 over San Diego City College in a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference game played on the road.

MSJC fell behind 2-0 after the first inning and trailed 2-1 going into the fifth before they broke out to score six fifth inning runs to take control of the game. in the fifth Kerry Hernandez had a two run double, while Jordan Sage and Hannah Morton each had an RBI single. Hernandez would finish the day with 3 RBIs total, while Morton also added an-

Courtesy of MSJC other RBI in the top of the seventh.

Morton also earned the victory in the circle for the Lady Eagles as she pitched 5 and 2/3 innings in relief of starting pitcher Alisa Erl. Morton shut out the Knights allowing just one hit and striking out six.

The win evened the Lady Eagles season record at 5-5 and evened their conference mark at 1-1. San Diego City fell to 2-9 overall and 0-2 in PCAC action.

Courtesy of MSJC

Men’s Hoops Falls Just Short

Mat Bradshaw

In Play-Off Loss the MSJC men's basketball team made a strong second half comeback Feb. 24, but came up two points short of a victory as they lost to visiting East Los Angeles 79-77 in a second round CCCAA Southern California Regional contest.

The Eagles fell behind 51-37 at halftime, but fought their way back into the game and eventually tied thescore at 77 a piece with 15 seconds left on a three point basket by Mat Bradshaw. The Huskies though were able to get the winning points on an offensive rebound and put back with 2 seconds to play to claim the victory.

MSJC saw all five Courtesy of MSJC starters score in double figures despite struggling

from three point range in the game. The Eagles shot just 7 of 26 from behind the arc, a place that they have shot the ball extremely well all season. Carl Brown was MSJC's top scorer with 16 points, he also pulled in a game high 11 rebounds. Jaryn Taylor also had a double double before fouling out with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Bradshaw finished the game with 13 points as well for MSJC while Tre Nottingham had 11 and Jeremy Bonifacio finished with 10.

The loss concludes the season for the Eagles with a record of 22-11, they won a share of the Pacific CoastAthletic Conference North Division championship for the fourth straight season.

MSJC Baseball Loses on Walk Off Homer The MSJC baseball team let a 6-2 lead slip away on Feb. 22 and ended up dropping a 7-6 decision on a walk off homerun in the bottom of the 9th to Golden West.The Eagles fell behind 1-0 after two innings, but tied the score in the top of the third when Marino Rojas drove in Brian Wolford with an RBI single.

Then trailing 2-1 MSJC seemed to take control of the

game scoring five times in the top of the fifth. Isaiah Flores and Abraham Rascon each picked up an RBI in the inning while Luke Reinert, Steven Ybarra, Rojas, Michael Alonzo, and Wolford crossed the plate.

Golden West evened up the game with four runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh to set up the walk offhomer to open the bottom of the ninth.

Articles courtesy of MSJC

Rojas finished the day going 2 for 4 at the plate for MSJC while Ybarra and Reinert each also picked up a hit. Reinert ended up taking the loss on the mound for the Eagles as he went 1 and 1/3 innings in relief.

Starting pitcher Brendon Russell threw 6 and 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs on 9 hits while striking out 2 and walking 3. The Eagles are 3-9 on the season.

6 | OPINION

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

The Oscars: Politics vs. Art

By Chis Malandrinos Aside from the 2016 election season, few voter related events have reached the same level of bogus-ness (bogosity?) as the annual Academy Awards.

Every year one film is awarded Best Picture, and every year the methods used to choose this winner prove to be gravely disappointing. Members of the Academy vote despite not having even seen the films they’re voting for. Decisions are heavily influenced by current political movements (or lack thereof) including 2016’s ever controversial “#OscarsSoWhite.”

And of course, more often than not, most of these so called “Best Pictures,” fail to achieve the greatness that was predicted of them and fade into the past as their less acclaimed competitors continue to live on in the hearts of moviegoers for generations to come (think Star Wars or 2001: A Space Odyssey).

With all of these flaws in the voting process, it’s difficult to see how the Oscars can serve much purpose other than maybe providing two hours of mild entertainment. Just the idea of an awards show for the arts sounds ridiculous. How are you supposed to declare the “best” of something as subjective as a movie? The answer is, you really can’t. But even with this hard truth brought forward, one thing can’t be denied: the Academy Awards do help shape the cinematic culture at large. Where box office results help set the guidelines for blockbuster, action films; the Oscars tell producers where the public’s hearts are at, what issues are important to them, and how much artistic license is acceptable for more mainstream films before they go full arthouse (which is fine, but definitely not right for the general public).

As an example, think about James Cameron’s recent interview with The Daily Beast where he commented on how the Oscars are “biased” against blockbuster films. Everyone’s favorite example to use here is The Dark Knight, which was snubbed from a Best Picture nomination (even though Heath Ledger did take home the award for Best Supporting Actor). In this

Courtesy of Woodmen Roberts case it most certainly does promote suspicions that there is some kind of anti-mainstream conspiracy going on, but nevertheless, most of the nominations every year are pretty mainstream and there’s a decent share of major blockbusters that have taken home more than one award, including Cameron’s own record-breaking Titanic.

Either way, the Academy’s lack of acknowledgement towards these films is usually just because they lack the heart of a smaller scale think piece. This isn’t to say that this pardons members of the Academy from their lack of regard to science-fiction or horror, and there have been plenty of big-budget masterpieces that were brutally snubbed by their elites. But even with such snobbery oozing from the nominations, the Oscars are still worth something. In their reluctance to give credit to these films, they are still telling producers and directors that sometimes people

want more than just mindless entertainment, that it might not be a bad idea to create pictures that are entertaining on the surface without losing substance along the way. Though the Oscars might not be the only reason for this, it’s this constant raising of the bar that helps bring out the best in so many of our favorite directors and producers.

But of course that isn’t the only example of politics in the Academy, another great one would be “#OscarsSoWhite” controversy that created so much chaos during last year’s awards season. Even though the issue of racism is more a problem with the industry as a whole (let’s be real here), thanks to help from an influx of new members, last year saw an end to the racial bias that was once so prominent in the Academy. So while the Academy may have not been the root of the problem, it’s brisk movement towards diversity not only brought new attention to a very old issue, but also gave producers throughout the industry more reason to include different races, genders, and so on in their future projects.

Because of this, even the most racist production studio (not that I have one in mind) has a monetary incentive to be more inclusive even if their heart isn’t entirely involved. Studios care about this not just because they’re thrown under the magnifying glass, but also because the Academy is now less likely to nominate a movie that doesn’t show stronger signs of inclusion, and a lost nomination is a lost chance at increased sales.

The point to be gathered here is: yes, the Oscars are way too politically charged to actually mean something to the individual viewer aside from maybe introducing them to a few good films, but regardless of personal taste, it’s these same politics that give the ceremony and others like it most of their worth. In essence, what you get is an example of art shaping life shaping art shaping life (or something like that), and though awards season may not be the heart or brain of the industry, it still plays a vital part in making movies what they are today.

Pros & Cons of Online Classes

By Serena Steele We’ve all heard the horror stories of online classes—a professor dropped off of the face of the earth, the coursework load was way more difficult and demanding than a physical class, etc. etc. While sometimes these issues do occur, they are not guaranteed to happen. Online classes are a godsend to those who simply don’t have the time and/or money to commute to campus, as well as the mental capacity to interact daily with humans.

A flexible schedule is one of the main benefits of taking online courses. According to a 2005 study conducted by the University of Wisconsin on students' satisfaction with distance learning courses, flexibility was found to be the key benefit of online learning.

Online courses give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. You can study and work when you’re at your peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night.

This makes online learning a good option for students who need to balance their work schedules, especially in a time

when only 56 percent of students who embark on a bachelor's degree program finish, according to a 2011 Harvard study. Additionally, students who have children or elderly parents to take care of will find it hard to drop everything and attend courses in person.

Online courses offer a wonderful alternative to those with obligations.

Online classes also often offer convenient, 24hour access to courses and do not depend on the proximity to the organization or school offering the course. Again, this allows students to complete college coursework while still accommodating to work and other responsibilities.

Rather than miss important class sessions, students in online courses can always “attend” by participating on discussion boards or in chat sessions, turn in their work on time, and watch lectures or read materials.

You will not have to fight Newport traffic, find a parking space, or leave work early to go to class.

Many students also find that the amount they save on fuel costs can be substantial if they don’t have to commute to a physical campus While there is contradictory evidence about

the rate of online student participation versus participation in traditional courses, one thing is certain: online courses offer shy students the opportunity to participate in class discussions or chats with more ease than faceto-face class sessions.

Some students even report that online courses are easier to concentrate in because they are not distracted by other students and classroom activity. Shy students do not have to worry about being penalized for not speaking up. Taking an online class alleviates the intimidation that some individuals may experience when speaking up in class about material they are unfamiliar with.

Students aren’t boxed into a one-size-fits-all approach.

No matter the environment, a college education requires a commitment of time and money. Students who need the personal interaction with peers presented by inclass face time might need to think twice about completing the majority of their education online.

Yet those who prefer more control over their time and resources might feel right at home in an online class.

By Kyle Selby Anybody who has enrolled in online education either at MSJC or another institution understands the stress and demand that comes with an online class registration. While some students love online education for the sake of organizational consistency, others despise this modernized format of learning for its lack of one-on-one instruction.

Personally, I am a student that falls under the latter persuasion.

Some students are simply just “visual learners.” By this, I mean that these students (approx.

65% of the general population, according to a study conducted by the University of Alabama) perform better in an actual classroom setting with teachers and students they can see standing and sitting beside them. The visual learning aspect plays an overall part in students’ reception of instruction and engagement with other students in discussion.

The first and only online course I’ve ever taken at MSJC was considered a “hybrid” class; we met once a week in the classroom, and the rest of the course was performed in the Blackboard online classroom.

I, like most students, have a hard time juggling my extra-curricular activities as it is; having a part-time job while trying to excel as a full-time student while simultaneously working on the school newspaper is no easy feat. When class participation feels more like another hindrance than an educational learning experience, students such as myself often lose the initiative to devote their full attention to the material.

Engaging in discussion with the instructor and other classmates is very integral to the learning process of a normal classroom. Blackboard’s online classes try to offer their alternative method to this component of learning with its discussion boards. This is a good time to condone the school’s recent switch to the new online education network, Canvas, starting Fall 2017. I say this because Blackboard’s design and interfacing is indisputably dated and non-engaging to students alike.

Nobody ever said online learning had to be fun, but the average college student’s attention span only extends so far.

Instruction is also generally limited to students when enrolled in online education. Comprehension of the course mate-

Courtesy of charmingyouth.eu rial is a HUGE deciding factor in determining whether a student will pass or fail a class. Sure, a student can email their instructor for clarification of instruction, but instructors do not always operate as 24-hour email-responders.

Finally, let’s face it; a majority of students are self-proclaimed procrastinators, and the online class format simply does not suit their style of learning. Often times, deadlines for homework assignments are due by a specific time of the day, on a regular, weekly basis. Students might be familiar with the infamous “11:59 pm on Sunday night” deadline that so many instructors are all too happy to enforce. For whatever reason, this is a continuous stumbling block that many online students struggle with. I guess the argument here is that a virtual deadline is a lot easier to neglect than an actual classroom visit.

In my experience, if you fall under the 65 percent majority that perform as “visual learners,” then I would recommend an actual, physical classroom setting. However if you’re adventurous and have the time and management skills to adjust to online courses, then by all means, go for it.

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

ENTERTAINMENT | 7

Must-See Under-The-Radar Netflix Films

By Christopher Malandrinos They say that the average person spends about 23 days a year searching through Netflix. That is a grand total of 552 hours, and it’s entirely made up. Now, according to an NBC article citing statistics from Netflix, reality actually has it that the average user only spends about 60 to 90 seconds before choosing a movie or TV show. Either way though, it makes no difference. Whether 90 seconds or 90 years, the point is that nobody wants to waste time browsing through a bunch of B-movies and cheap remakes. That’s where this list comes in.

Here, you have five films currently on Netflix that are definitely worth a watch. Of course, not everyone is interested in the same genres, but hopefully something on here strikes enough interest to save you the 90 seconds it takes to find something interesting.

For a few of the many recommendations that can be made, here’s that list: Dope (2015) - One of the most underrated films of the past two years, Dope follows a group of teenagers on an adventure through

Courtesy of Huffington Post Inglewood after they accidentally confuse their bag with that of one of the town’s most prominent drug dealers.

Though littered with several more standard genre tropes, the movie is just as unique as it is familiar. Thanks to director Rick Famuyiwa’s colorful storytelling and a slew of fun, well-constructed characters, every scene feels fresh and engaging. It’s definitely a welcomed change to the genre when you compare it to the more typical, serious toned drug related films.

Europa Report (2013) - From NASA-approved facts to a well-designed script, Europa Report offers everything a scifi purist could want.

While not perfect, it’s

realistic premise sets it apart from almost every other movie that has set to achieve similar goals.

Sebastian Cordero’s found-footage, sci-fi drama plays as a documentary stitched together with footage found from security cameras onboard the first manned expedition to Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Once there, strange things start to happen leading to some very important discoveries. Similarly to Ridley Scott’s The Martian, what makes this film so special is that it gives its viewers insight into just how interesting the real universe can be (even if it’s still a slight embellishment).

The fact that it is believably constructed is just icing on the cake.

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010) - As off putting as the title and poster may seem, Tucker and Dale is not only extremely entertaining, but also offers a fresh take on slasher horror in the way it completely turns the genre upside down.

Directed by Eli Craig (Zombieland), the film takes classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and completely turns the tables. Tucker and Dale, are two hillbillies peacefully spending the weekend at their vacation “cabin in the woods” when they are mistaken for chainsaw murderers by a group of preppy college kids.

As the grisly chaos unfolds, it’s amazing just how much substance comes with it as the

movie keeps the audience on their feet, and the humor, though silly at times, almost never falls flat.

Look Who’s Back (2015) - What would happen if Hitler magically appeared in present day? David Whendt’s Look Who’s Back has the answer, and it’s actually a little disturbing.

Don’t get me wrong, this German film is a comedy, but it would be a lie to say it doesn’t leave a person a little queasy by the end. As a heads up, this movie is a foreign film with subtitles (sigh), but once you get into it, having to read won’t matter a bit. Look Who’s Back is a guerilla film (think Borat or Bad Santa), so it’s humor uses the public as a pri-

mary source (and as the primary source, it does sting a little seeing some of the harsh confessions made to a man literally dressed like Hitler). Yes, some of the scenes are a bit silly, but this in no way hinders the film’s effectiveness, and by the end its message hits an emotional chord more than most would probably like it to.

Cape Fear (1991) - While this is actually a fairly popular movie, due to its age, it seems likely that some of the younger generations might overlook it as they browse. This 1991 remake of Cape Fear is directed by none other than Martin Scorsese and features two Oscar nominated performances from Juliette Lewis and Robert De Niro.

The movie follows the story of a convicted rapist who decides to stalk the family of the lawyer who once defended him.

Robert De Niro owns this movie with one of the most intense performances of his career (and we’re talking about De Niro here). With so much talent behind this one film, it really does promote itself, and with so much tension present throughout, it’s a movie you’ll never forget.

Get Out: Horror and Comedy Fused Seamlessly

By Patrick Arellano Horror and comedy are two sides of the same coin. They’re both genres that use timing and subverting expectations to provoke an emotional response. So, when I found out that Jordan Peele of Key and Peele would be directing a film that utilized both horror and comedy to explore racism, I was very intrigued. With my expectations set so high, this film easily could have been a disappointment. I am happy to say that not only has “Get Out” exceeded those expectations, I’d be absolutely floored if I see a better horror film this year.

A young man named Chris and his girlfriend Rose embark on a weekend trip to visit her parents. Chris has some reservations because Rose hasn’t told her family that he’s black.

Even though Rose’s parents seem to welcome Chris with open arms, there’s a lingering sense of uneasiness in the visit. Maybe it’s the way Rose’s dad enthusiasti-

cally expresses his hatred for Adolf Hitler and love for Barack Obama.

Maybe it’s Rose’s weird brother who talks about judo and African American’s genetic makeup.

Or maybe it’s the way all the servants at the house happen to be black.

One thing’s for certain: this family seems to be obsessed with race and have a tendency of bringing it up in every conversation.

When friends of the family come for an annual get together the next day, Chris starts to suspect that there’s more

to this family and their servants than they initially let on. Things take a turn for the strange when Chris takes a picture of one of the servants named Logan without his permission and he reacts with hostility. What follows is an unsettling and darkly humorous horror story reminiscent of films such as “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Stepford Wives.”

“Get Out” is a very smart film. There are so many ways it could have gone wrong where films with this kind of prem-

ise have gone wrong.

If the family had been openly racist and unwelcoming, if Chris was too slow to catch on, or if the performances were too cartoony, the film wouldn’t work. Thankfully, Jordan Peele avoids the pitfalls that made lesser films such as “The Wicker Man” remake fall absolutely flat.

The interesting thing about “Get Out” is that even when the charade ends and the conspiracy is revealed, it feels like the social satire could be taken out of the film and the plot would work just

Courtesy of Universal Pictures as well. In fact, the satire seems to be less about racism and more about passive aggressive prejudices that are inherent in everyone. When Chris first meets the family, they’re never outright malicious to him; just sort of awkward and prone to insensitive comments. By the same token, Chris’ uneasiness towards the family, while not entirely unjustified, seems to be more motivated by feelings of distrust and prejudices that he has.

I do have some qualms.

The final act isn’t bad,

The Talon presents

E X P O S E D

Standing Rock vs DAPL movie and discussion panel

MVC rm 927 5-7 pm March 14

RISE

but it does require you to suspend your disbelief a bit. It feels like the film had two different endings: one that the story felt like it was setting up and about to pay off and another that felt more like a focus group ending. There’s also a running gag where one of the characters explains the premise to people and is promptly ridiculed for it; a joke that’s funny the first time and less so the subsequent times. But these are petty niggles.

Whether or not you believe that racism is still an issue today, I guarantee that this film will leave you reflecting on prejudges in yourself that you didn’t know existed. That is the mark of good satire.

And with the current political and social climate, there hasn’t been a better time for a film like this. Do yourself a favor: get some friends, go see this movie, and talk about it on the ride home. You might learn a little something about you or your friends in the process.

8|ENTERTAINMENT

THE TALON, MARCH 2017

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OSCARS RUSSELL STEM STUDENT TALON TRUMP

Mystery Riddles 1) What is greater than 2) Brothers and sisters I 3) Which word in the God, have none but this man’s dictionary is spelled more evil than the devil, father is my father’s son. incorrectly? the poor have it, Who is the man? the rich need it, This funny riddle often and if you eat it, you’ll amuses both kids and die? adults.

4) The captain of a ship was telling this interesting story: “We traveled the sea far and wide. At one time, two of my sailors were standing on opposite sides of the ship. One was looking west and the other one east. And at the same time, they could see each other clearly.”

How can that be possible?

2) Nothing

Club Blurbs

3) Incorrectly

Numbers in cages may repeat, as long as they are not in the same row or colomn.

1) The man is my son

The heavy lines indicate areas (called cages) that contain groups of numbers that can be combined (in any order) to produce the result shown in the cage, with the indicated math operation. For example, 12x means you can multiply the values together to produce 12.

5) Two children, who were all tangled up in their reckoning of the days of the week, paused on their way to school to straighten matters out. “When the day after tomorrow is yesterday,” said Priscilla, “then ‘today’ will be as far from Sunday as that day was which was ‘today’ when the day before yesterday was tomorrow!”

On which day of the week did this puzzling prattle occur?

4) The two children were so befogged over the calendar that they had started on their way to school on Sunday morning!

5) The marines were standing back against the sides of the ship so they were looking at each other. It does not matter where the ship is (of course it does not apply to the North and South Pole).

Fill in the blank squares so that each row and each column contain all of the digits 1 thru 6.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLUB The Criminal Justice Club is a club for students who want to pursue future careers in criminal justice, law enforcement, social work, or any other related fields.

We will make available to students internships in the criminal justice system. We will also sponsor and conduct events and demonstrations that inform the campus community about local crime issues. This club is a good place to meet other

criminal justice minded people!

Our advisor, Professor Farrar, has multiple connections in the law enforcement field. If something interests our members, (such as passing the police physical tests or how to become a crime scene technician) Professor Farrar can help with information or even hands-on exercises on the subject! If any of this interests you, we hope to see you at our meetings!

Meetings: Every other Monday in Room 1212, 3:15pm4:00pm.

For more info, contact mlurenana795@student.msjc.edu or Professor Farrar at wfarrar@msjc.edu.

What is the first rule of Communication Club? You talk about Communication Club! In fact, you talk about literally anything. Do you love hot dogs? Are you a math major? Do you wish our campus had a real Fight Club? If any one of these things does or does not describe you, come on down and join MSJC’s Communication Club where we strive to create a fun environment for people of all interests.

The most important skill you posses is your ability to communicate with others, and we at the Communication Club are here to help you better develop that skill!

Our goal is to build relationships through hands on experiences ranging from games and discussions to movie nights and intercultural events.

We meet up every Tuesday at 12:30pm in the Menifee Campus Comm Lab (Rm. 479). Be sure to keep your eyes open for any events we might be hosting!

For more information email us at MSJCcommunication@ gmail.com.

For many years, Mu Alpha Theta has dedicated themselves to inspiring passion and interest in Mathematics, developing strong scholarship in the subject, and promoting the enjoyment of Mathematics in high school and two-year college students.

The organization of Mathematics clubs serves over 108,00 student members in more that 2200 schools in the United States and 20 foreign countries. Mu Alpha Theta offers more than $300,000 in scholarships, grants, awards, and prizes yearly.

Meetings are held on Fridays at the Menifee Campus in room 453 at 10:30 AM.

Talon Staff James Hodge President & Treasurer Serena Steele Editor-in-Chief & External PR Noah Colomé Director & Historian

Patrick Arellano Vice President & Secretary Kyle Selby Assistant Editor Matthew Maitrejean Graphic Design

Jamee Menez Internal PR Chris Malandrinos ICC Rep Katie Lakina Contributing writer

Alex Cuatok Adviser Doug Spoon Journalistic Adviser

Meetings: Every Thursday and Friday 12:30pm-2:00pm Thurs: Rm 1007 Fridays: Rm 418

Disclaimer: The Talon is a production created and published by the Talon student newspaper club members. The Talon is not an official production of the Mt. San Jacinto Community College District. Its producers and contributors/reporters are students and are not officials of the college district. The views and opinions expressed in the Talon are those of the specific student writers and contributors/reporters. The Talon student newspaper does not represent the views and opinions of the Mt. San Jacinto College District or any of its official employees.