Spring 15 Issue 6 by Oak Leaf News

Nora Ekberg

WWW.THEOAKLEAFNEWS.COM

Interview with rising star, page 7

Issue 6, Vol. CXXXIII, April 27, 2015

Student elections make turnout history Luke Heslip

Name of Office...............................# of Votes

Associated Student President

Assistant Opinion Editor The Justice League slate, a group of students running on a diversity platform, won all multi-candidate senatorial races in Santa Rosa Junior College’s Spring 2015 student elections. Students also voted to pass a student center referendum and an amended constitution, according to the Student Affairs office. Polls closed at midnight April 24 with more than 4,400 ballots tallied, which roughly comprises 20 percent of SRJC’s student population, the highest turnout in college history, according to Assistant Director of Student Affairs Dr. Brian Phifer. Results are still pending Associated Students (AS) Senate confirmation, which the body will render in its April 27 session. Only three of the 11 elected AS Senate chairs had more than one candidate so the majority won by default. All nine Justice League candidates gained election, defeating the opposing Avengers slate in the two races where both slates had candidates. The Justice League’s Erika Hernandez Ramirez won the vice president of committees chair with 687 more votes than Alex Smith, the Avengers candidate. Similarly, Diana Kingsbury defeated Jamie Rose Kitchel in the vice president of Santa Rosa race by 308 votes. “I look forward to joining a fantastic community of student leaders to make SRJC a better place for all, especially students. Now is the time for deep institution-

Results

Joshua Pinaula (The Avengers)

Executive Vice President

Hakeem Sanusi (The Avengers)

Vice President of Programs

Virginia Kerr (The Justice League)

3,607

3,609

3,617

Vice President of Santa Rosa Diana Kingsbury (The Justice League) 1,566 Jamie Rose Kitchel (The Avengers) 1,258 Arandas “Doss” Alahan 480 Ian Kinmont 438

Photo courtesy of The Justice League

The Justice League, comprised of members from Black Student Union, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanista de Aztlan and some existing senate members, with the focus of diversity, wins all contested elections.

al improvement. Power to the students,” Kingsbury said. Incumbent AS Vice President of Programs Virginia Kerr, who won reelection in the April 20-24 elections, said the two slates have mostly congruent goals. Kerr said the Avengers, who primarily are incumbents, have objectives aimed at more bureaucratic changes while the Justice League, with only two incumbents, are more ideologically oriented. According to the slate’s literature, the Justice League formed when students from M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chi-

Daniel Kong /Oak Leaf

The Associated Students giving out free hotdogs and snacks for students who voted in the elections.

canista de Aztlan), the Black Student Union (BSU), the sitting AS Senate and other organizations united to enact institutional change at SRJC. “As club officers and community organizers with countless leadership positions on campus and in our communities, we will bring an abundance of experience and knowledge to student government,” stated Justice League literature. “As students we are the most active and vital force in society, and as a united student body, we will create real change.” The slate said it would labor to expand English Second Language (ESL) courses at SRJC and increase health services for noncredit students, among other goals. In addition to electing 11 student senators, SRJC’s students elected a student trustee to sit on the college’s board of trustees with an advisory vote. Trustee-elect Eli Egger, speaking to the SRJC student body said “Thank you for electing me to become your Student Trustee. I have already tripled funding to the PTK Hungry Cub, our student food pantry, and now it is time to begin a college-wide discussion about textbooks. I believe every course should have multiple copies of required books on reserve at the library, and royalty-free books should be used whenever possible.” continued on page 5...

Vice President of Petaluma

Jordan Panana (The Justice League) 3,601

Vice President of Committees

Erika Hernandez-Ramirez (The Justice League)2,217 Alex Smith (The Avengers) 1,530

Vice President of Advocacy

Hernan Zaragoza (The Justice League) 2,007 Sabrina Rawson 1,660

Vice President of Membership & Marketing Senay Debsay (The Justice League)

3,623

Vice President of Organizations (Santa Rosa)

Hector Jimenez (The Justice League) 3,633

Vice President of Organizations (Petaluma)

Eduardo Arango (The Justice League) 3,598

Vice President of Sustainability

Cheri N. McLean (The Justice League) 3,634

Student Trustee

Eli Egger (The Avengers) John Yanushefsky III

2,449 1,200

The stigma behind mental illness

Thinking outside the quick fix

Matt Lococo shares his baseball journey

Student Center Fee Referendum Results

Students share their battles being open with others about their mental illness.

Long term solutions to prevent sexual assault and stop perpetuating rape culture.

After his success at Santa Rosa Junior College, Lococo continues to pursue his baseball career in Hawaii.

A.S. Constitution Amendment Results

FEATURES, Page 13

Opinion, Page 16

Sports, Page 17

Yes No

3,180 1,263

3,471 692

News

April 27, 2015

www.theoakleafnews.com

Caravan for justice: Pio Valenzuela Staff Writer A caravan of justice traveling through the United States comprising the families from Ayotzinapa representing 43 students kidnapped by the Mexican government, urged the American people to speak out against the government’s role in Mexican militarization. The speakers addressed a full house on April 7 at Carpenter Hall in Santa Rosa in Spanish, while a translator repeated the speeches in English. “We are thinking of our children. We are living with the thoughts of whether they ate today, whether they’re cold – and this is tormenting us. All 43 mothers, it’s killing us, little by little,” said Blanca Luz Nava Velez, mother of Jorge Alvarez Nava, one of the 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa. Parents, friends and even victims present during the attack spoke about the incident on the night of Sept. 26 through the morning of the 27th that resulted in six students’ deaths and dozens more missing. “We are not going to rest until we find them. We are not going to stop, ever until we know where they are, where the government has them,”

Families of the 43 kidnapped Mexican students traveling to get their message out

Velez said. The police in Mexico attacked her son, Jorge, and several others in September 2014 while students commandeered buses in Iguala, Guerrero – a common practice according to the students – for a march commemorating a 1968 massacre of students at Tlatelolco. “We’ve been asking the government to give us this resource – of having transportation, having buses that we could use for what we need to do, but that still hadn’t been resolved, so that’s why in this day and age we’re still having to do things like this,” said Angel Neri de la Cruz Ayala, one of the students present during the attack. He continued,“When we were on our way back, the municipal police started shooting at us.” Cruz Ayala told the story of the 43 missing, the six dead and many others wounded after Mexican police and armed forces shot at them. Similar caravans of buses traveled throughout Mexico and the U.S. Their goal is to convince the U.S. government through gaining American citizens’ support to halt military and police aid to Mexico until the Mexican government stops violating its citizens’ human rights.

Pio Valenzuela/ Oak Leaf

(From left) Josimar de la Cruz, Angel Neri de la Cruz Ayala and Blanca Luz Nava Velez speak to a Santa Rosa crowd.

Caravana para Justicia: Familias de los 43 estudiantes Mexicanos viajan para difundir su mensaje (traducido por Pio Valenzuela and Chantelle Bogue) Viajando por los Estados Unidos en una procesión de justicia, familias representando los 43 estudiantes secuestrandos por el gobierno Mexicano buscan convencer al gobierno estadounidense de parar el apoyo de armas a la policía y las fuerzas armadas de México. Los oradores hablaron el 7 de abril, en Carpenters Hall, Santa Rosa en es-

pañol, mientras una traductora repitió el discurso después. “[Pensamos en nuestros jóvenes] Todas las noches, todos los días, uno está pensando, cómo está, si comio hoy, si tiene frío. Todo eso es un tormento para uno. Tan solo pensar, nos está matando poco a poco,” dijo Blanca Luz Nava Vélez, madre de Jorge Álvarez Nava, uno de los 43 perdidos. Padres, amigos y víctimas del ataque le comentaron a una gran cantidad de oyentes acerca del incidente que ocurrió la noche del 26 de Septiembre ha-

Photographers JoshuOne Barnes Carin Huber Craig Gettman Catherine Ramirez

Layout Team Craig Gettman Catherine Ramirez

cia la mañana del 27, que resultó en la muerte de seis estudiantes y en el secuestro de docenas más. “No vamos a descansar hasta encontrarlos. No vamos aparar nunca hasta que sepamos de nuestros hijos – donde están y donde los tienen,” Velez dijo. Su hijo Jorge y otros fueron atacados en Septiembre del año pasado, mientras estudiantes requisaron autobuses - una practica común de acuerdo con los estudiantes - para una marcha que conmemoraba La Noche de Tlatelolco, una masacre de estudiantes en 1968. Angel Neri de la Cruz Ayala, un estudiante presente durante el ataque, dijo que le habían estado pidiendo al gobierno Mexicano autobuses para que pudieran tener transporte para la marcha, pero que aún no se había resuelto; por eso, hoy en día todabía tienen que hacer cosas como esas. El continuo, “Cuando estábamos regresando, la policía municipales empezó a disparar contra nosotros.” Cruz Ayala recontó su historia y la historia de los 43 perdidos, los seis muertos y los otros heridos después del ataque por la policía y las fuerzas armadas. Caravanas similares viajaron por México y siguen viajando por los E.E.U.U. Su meta es que la gente estadounPio Valenzuela/ Oak Leaf idense convence su gobierno que se Left: Santa Rosa residents gather to listen to friends and family of 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa, Mexico, April 7 at Carpenters Hall, Santa Rosa. pare el apoyo militar a la policía y Right: A traditional dancer stands amongst the crowd during a performance commemorating the caravan for 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa, Mexico. fuerzas armadas de México. Editors-in-Chief:

Jarrett Rodriguez and Nate Voge Managing Editor:

Faith Gates

@SROakleaf @theoakleafnews

Staff Writers Austin Burmester, Anne-Elisabeth Cavarec, Sean Curzon, Rebecca Dominguez, Craig Gettman, Nikki Goetz, Luke Heslip, Deanna Hettinger, Dominic Jones, Travis Labrucherie, Matthew Koch, Maci Martell, Catherine Ramirez, Alex T. Randolph, Matt Rubel, Kyle Schmidt, Devin Schwarz, Anthony Sosa, Pio Valenzuela, Candler Weinberg. Web Manager & Editing Coach Nathan Quast Social Media Eden Anuskewicz

Contact Newsroom: 707-527-4401 Ads Office: 707-527-4254 Anne Belden, Adviser: 707-527-4867 abelden@santarosa.edu

Copy Editors Carin Huber Alex T. Randolph Distribution Dominic Jones and Candler Weinberg Investigative Reporter JoshuOne Barnes

SRJCOakleaf theoakleafnews

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News

April 27, 2015

Court sentences Holzworth to nine months Deanna Hettinger Staff Writer The wife of former Santa Rosa Junior College police officer Jeffrey Holzworth received a nine-month jail term with three years probation April 9 for her role as accessory to her husband’s grand theft charges of stealing $286,000 from campus parking meters. Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Gary A. Medvigy said the evidence was clear that at some point she had known about her husband’s involvement and that her explanations were not forthright. “I believe she perjured herself in court,” Medvigy said. The Sonoma County Probation Department had recommended a six-month county jail term for Karen Holzworth, but because she was not able to speak directly to the probation department, Medvigy allowed her to address the court. In tears on and off throughout the sentencing, Karen Holzworth, 51, tried to explain what she would have done differently. With her head down, she told the court that for 29 months, since the beginning, she cried every day, beat herself up, embarrassed her family and wanted to start over. Medvigy said it was the first time he ever saw any remorse and it was clear Karen Holzworth knowingly participated in a scheme by depositing large sums of stolen cash in family bank accounts. Her testimony that she won the money playing bingo had no merit with the video evidence

showing Holzworth depositing bags of coins in the bank. Karen Holzworth’s best friend, Ingridt Linde, who testified at her trial found the sentencing to be “absolutely ridiculous.” Linde said, “It was not fair because she stayed for her kids even after she had at one time questioned Jeff about the bag of money, in which he claimed it was going back to his office. Karen had no knowledge.” Deputy District Attorney Amy Ariyoshi, who asked the judge for a 16-month prison sentence, said Karen Holzworth was remorseful for what she didn’t do -- arguing that she was not convicted by the jury for not turning Jeff in, but because she had been directly involved. The thefts had occurred repeatedly for at least seven years. Holzworth “was not convicted for her actions, but rather her conduct and that the jury did not find her testimony to be believable. She knowingly assisted with intent,” Ariyoshi said. Karen Holzworth’s brother, Mark Virgil Chole, who at one time borrowed a significant amount of money from her and testified in her trial, said she was “guilty by association” and that it was all based on speculation. There were a lot of factors to consider - it was not a cut and dry case. He added that the DA made an example of Karen Holzworth making it seem like she was the ring leader. “Nobody got hurt. It wasn’t a Ponzi scheme,” Chole said. Defense attorney George Boisseau argued for Holzworth’s character out-

Managing and News Editor Santa Rosa Junior College’s student-run newspaper the Oak Leaf returned from the Journalism Association of Community College’s (JACC) annual conference this year decorated with awards. Forty-five colleges make up JACC and all were invited to the weekend that consisted of workshops, competitions and speakers from April 9 to 12. The Oak Leaf won the highest award from JACC, the General Excellence award, for being overall outstanding in our issues from last semester. Out of 45 colleges, only 10 won the award. The Oak Leaf has won this award eight times in the past nine years. “I’m very happy the Oak Leaf is back on it’s streak for General Excellence,” said last semester’s CoEditor-in-Chief Julie Lee. Almost all of the 19 SRJC students who attended the event participated in on-the-spot contests. News writer Pio Valenzuela took home first place in on-the-spot news writing where he attended an event and had only an hour immediately afterwards to write a story. “Honestly, I was shocked. I really wanted to take home a prize but I was really shocked to take

home first place,” Valenzuela said. “I was humbled. When I was holding my plaque I felt humbled and on the verge of tears and kept hugging everybody.” Copy editor Alex Randolph competed in the on-the-spot critical review contest and won third place for his work. He said he was very excited to hear his name called because he didn’t expect it. Co-Editor-in-Chief Nate Voge won honorable mention in the features on-the-spot competition, in which he was dropped off at an art festival and immediately taken back after it ended and given an hour to write a story. “It feels good to be acknowledged for my efforts,” Voge said. For the mail-in awards, the Oak Leaf swept the Enterprise News Writing category, winning first and third place. Investigative reporter JoshuOne Barnes won first place for his series of articles on the SRJC District Police. Third place went to the four-page feature the Oak Leaf wrote on homelessness in Sonoma County. Voge, Lee, Estefany Gonzalez and Jeanine Buckley wrote this article for the final issue of last semester. “I’m so proud of our team. Our features team made the last issue especially meaningful for me,” Lee

Day Under the Oaks is Sunday Maci Martell

Assistant News Editor

Kyle Schmidt/ Oak Leaf

Top: Ingridt Linde and Mark Chole outside the courtroom after the sentencing. Bottom: Karen Holzworth being comforted as she cries during her sentencing.

side the charges by pointing out her lack of criminal history, and that she was working three jobs to help her daughter through college. Boisseau said her lifestyle didn’t reflect any changes from the theft and if she could do it over again she would have taken action. “The focus should remain on Jeffrey Holzworth instead, not losing sight of the offender,” Boisseau said. After 28 years as a police officer, Jeffrey Holzworth is serving a fouryear prison sentence for his involve-

ment in the embezzlement. Boisseau said his client made a grievous mistake and people who know her will vouch for her character. He added that she will comply with everything and wanted probation so she can continue to be a productive member of society. Ariyoshi said his argument was weak and that the people had wanted state prison. The judge granted Boisseau’s request to give Holzworth a week to get her affairs in order.

said. “But I really want to thank everyone who contributed to the piece, especially the families and students who shared their stories. It’s cliché but we really couldn’t have done it without their help.” Meanwhile other students enjoyed JACC for the bonding time with fellow journalists and the content they learned from the workshops. “I learned a lot from it. It was enthralling and majestic,” staff writer Matthew Koch said. “I cried every day I was there.” The Oak Leaf also submitted entries into the Society of Professional Journalist’s Mark of Excellence Awards for Region 11. This

region includes all colleges in Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and the Mariana Islands. The homeless feature won the finalist award for feature writing, which is equivalent to second place. Barnes’ article “Black Student Union members encounter racism” from last semester also won a finalist award. Former Editor-in-Chief Nathan Quast won first place for his editorial last semester on how the student trustee deserves a stronger voice on the Board of Trustees, beating out schools such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and will go on to the national championship.

Oak Leaf brings awards home to SRJC Faith Gates

Photo courtesy of JACC

The SRJC Oak Leaf newspaper staff presenting their awards at the JACC annual conference in Sacramento after the awards banquet dinner April 12.

An abundance of entertaining, academic and cultural activities and events will blanket the grounds of the Santa Rosa Junior College campus for the annual spring celebration of Day Under the Oaks from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 3. The festivities will begin on the Doyle patio with a presentation of the Hula Kahiko, an ancient Hawaiian dance expressing Hawaii’s most revered goddess Pele, followed by the contemporary Hawaiian dance Hula ‘Auana, preformed by the Kēhaulani Hula Studio. SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong will present the Welcome and Awards Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on the Doyle patio preceding various other entertaining and cultural events. Among these events will be a performance from the SRJC Hip Hop Dance Team Mayhem at noon, a Tai Chi demonstration at 12:45 p.m., the Redwood Empire Chinese Association Traditional Lion Parade and Cultural Performance at 1 p.m., a Hawaiian musical performance by award-winning artist Faith Ako at 2:45 p.m. and finally a quartet performance by Now and Zen at 3 p.m. Near the math and science buildings, which will be designated as the Nick Anast 2015 Memorial Area in honor of the late professor, there will be a variety of interactive and amusing science activities for people of all ages. Planetarium shows will play every 45 minutes in Lark Hall beginning at 10:30 a.m., a chemistry magic show involving flames and explosions (which may not be appropriate for very young children) at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Bech Hall and a physics light show in 1786 Shuhaw Hall at 12:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. At the commencement stage, several bands will perform for the festival goers: the SRJC Symphonic Band at 10:45 a.m., the SRJC Jazz Band at 12:45 p.m. and the SRJC Jazz Combos at 1:45 p.m. Athletes and fitness lovers will also have events and activities to engage in, starting with the Bear Cub Athletic Trust’s “3K Under the Oaks” walk and run marathon at 9 a.m. The SRJC Rolling Bears Power Soccer team will be demonstrating their prowess in Tauzer Gym at 11:30 a.m. Then at 1:30 p.m. spectators can watch the wheelchair basketball game between the Santa Rosa Blazers and the Fresno Wheelers. Other events to be found around campus include the Native American Spring Celebration, arts and crafts projects, face painting, jumpy houses and a bubble-blowing contest. Various SRJC clubs will also have booths around campus sharing information about their club, selling club merchandise and hosting their own activities. Several first-aid and water stations will be spread over campus and food trucks located in Burbank Circle.

A&E

4 Permaculture garden to sprout at SRJC www.theoakleafnews.com

Matthew Koch Staff Writer

The apples taste like apples, the figs taste like figs and the snozzberries taste like snozzberries. Despite the snozzberries, the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma campus is currently taking steps to implement a permaculture garden stocked full of various edible fruits. Permaculture, a design derived from Australia, basically means a “permanent culture.” If conducted correctly, the garden will work in a symbiotic relationship with itself to produce a larger scale impact that benefits the entire ecosystem. This permaculture garden, projected to be located right off of the parking lot closest to the student fitness center, will not only be drought tolerant, but will have an edible landscape requiring minimal maintenance. “In a couple of years we will potentially turn off the drip irrigation and sprinkler system because the organic features will allow it to retain water,” said SRJC Professor David Kratzmann, one of the project’s key spearheads. Kratzman teaches environmental science, geology and the associated geology lab on the Petaluma

campus. In his lectures, he enlightens the coming generation to best preserve the future of our environment. According to Kratzmann, this is only the beginning. The permaculture garden is a small scale proof of concept, or example, that will demonstrate to the district that it is possible to put in place a drought tolerant, non-lawn garden that is aesthetically pleasing, functioning and costing little-tonothing monetarily. The community and the district have both placed a lot of support into the garden, giving rise to widespread momentum. The local non-profit known as Daily Acts, among many others, agree to partner with the school to implement the garden. Not only have they agreed to run the building during the day, but they also have extended an invitation to the community to help construct the garden and teach them how the various features of a garden work. “Daily Acts can run the garden or we can use the horticulture department community events in order to properly maintain its features,” Kratzmann said. The goal is to make the garden welcoming, low maintenance and able to provide food for students to pick whenever they please. Kratzmann hopes to encourage

experiential learning with the conducive environment created for people to study and ultimately stay and enjoy the Petaluma campus. Potentially, by changing the learning environment, the garden will in turn reduce the carbon footprint, acting as a location where students can hang out at instead of leaving the campus immediately after class. “This will elevate student success,” Kratzmann said. “Students won’t be running home to watch television or whatever; they will be here and focused on their education.” Swale and sheet mulching of Top: Courtesy of David Kratzmann, Bottom: Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf the garden begins Saturday, May 9 Top: A diagram of the proposed garden to be built on the Petaluma campus. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Campus The non-lawn garden will be drought tolerant and low cost. Circle off of Sonoma Mtn. Parkway Bottom: This area, located near the Physical Fitness Center, is the planned in Petaluma.

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April 27, 2015

location for the future student run garden. Construction begins May 9.

Student crashes into SRJC fence

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

Santa Rosa Junior College student Brett W. looks upon the damange he caused to the fence of Bailey Field after fainting while driving.

Daniel Kong Photo Editor

A Santa Rosa Junior College student driving a pickup truck collided with a section of the fence lining Bailey Field on Bear Cub Way April 22. The student, who preferred to be named Brett W., said he was driving around the corner of Bear Cub Way when he became dizzy and fainted. “Next thing I knew, I jumped the curb,” he said. Brett W. said he has a history of medical

conditions. Police Officer Anthony Gregori said the student will be required to have his license reviewed at the department of motor vehicles. He may get his license revoked. According to Darth Elledge, SRJC groundskeeper, the panels involved in the collision were damaged beyond repair and would need to be replaced. Elledge also said that similar incidents had occurred involving the same student in other parts of campus.

News

5 Career Expo attracts students and the community www.theoakleafnews.com

Catherine Ramirez Staff Writer

With more than 1,000 attendees and 53 booths, the annual Santa Rosa Junior College Career Development Services Career Expo attracted a lot of attention from both SRJC students and the community April 22 at the Bertolini Student Center on the Santa Rosa campus. “Students have the opportunity to practice their introduction pieces with professionals,” said SRJC Career Advisor Jill Mead. “They get experience and they learn the different requirements for different places in the work world.” With booths from businesses like Kaiser Permanente, Exchange Bank and UPS, attendees could interact with employers and learn about jobs, internships and volunteer positions. Catholic Charities, for example, offer volunteer experience through the organization. “We’re looking for people who have a passion for working with the

community and want to give back,” said Catholic Charities employee Kim Young. Along with the booths, the expo featured a new workshop and career talk section where career development professionals gave a short presentation every hour about different, career-related topics, such as: “crucial skills that employers desire,” “dressing for interviews” and “communicating your skills to employers via resumes and social media.” SRJC student Garrett Hughes, 22, attended one of the career talks presented by an Amy’s Kitchen senior recruiter about some of the non-verbal cues hiring managers notice with possible hirees. “It was a helpful experience. I learned that I can do a lot better at a job interview,” Hughes said. “It reminded me to always carry a positive body language. It’s important.” However, students were not the only ones who benefitted from the event.

April 27, 2015

Catherine Ramirez/ Oak Leaf

Cynthia H. Stringer presents “communicating your skills to employers via resumes and social media” career talk during the 15th annual Career Expo in Bertolini Student Center April 22.

A recently unemployed local came to the expo to learn more about other careers after deciding to make a career change. “It’s nice to see a human face instead of the typical online stuff when job

searching,” said 50-year-old Diane. “It’s been very frustrating to get any response from online applications.” Employers also had the opportunity to interact with possible employees.

“It’s a great way to connect with students here and with the community,” Young said. “Students are looking for experience and we want to help with that.”

SRJC advocates for sustainability Maci Martell Assistant News Editor

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

Students vote in the quad during the spring 2015 election, which had the highest voter turnout in SRJC history.

Record breaking elections continued from cover...

Egger is the sitting AS executive vice president. Students elected in a 3,180 to 1,263 vote to approve a student center referendum, which is a $1 per-unit enrollment fee with an annual 10-unit cap. The revenue from the fee will be allotted to student community outlets at the AS Senate’s discretion. AS President elect and sitting incumbent Joshua Pinaula said, “In regards to the student center fee, I’m committed to ensure those funds are used correctly and with the input of the student body.” He said the main reason he ran for reelection was to employ experience in the student center fund’s allocation. The student center fee is pending administrative review. The ratified student constitution, when implemented in Fall

2015, will rename the student senate the Student Government Assembly (SGA) and call for new senate bylaws, which are internal operation rules. The constitution enlarges the student senate by two positions, which the SGA will initially appoint in Fall 2015. Elections for those seats will start in Spring 2016. Senate position titles will also change. Though voter turnout was record-breaking, some were disappointed by the lack of competitive seats. “Its really unfortunate that we don’t have more competition, that we don’t have more people interested,” said Senate Advisor Zack Miranda. “There is an awareness issue with this organization in general and I feel like the college itself isn’t necessarily aware that elections happen every year, regardless that it is about the same time every year,” Miranda said. “It’s on us. As

an organization we need to do as much publicity as we can to make sure students do turn out to polls.” Election coordinator Anson O’Rourke-Sargent said he was disappointed by candidate activity in the campaign. “I was hoping the candidates would engage with the students a lot more but they really haven’t done that.” Sargent said the deficit of contested seats contributed to the low candidate campaign effort. SRJC board of trustees’ member Jordan Burns said he is pleased with the election’s turnout. “Slowly the student elections are progressing towards more people involved. I think if they continue to reach out to the community, continue to take up very important issues like the student center fee and things like that you’ll see more students getting involved.” The elected senate will serve Fall 2015 until Spring 2016.

Environmental sustainability depends on locality and community involvement, according to Dr. Geoffrey Chase in a lecture presented April 20 in the Santa Rosa Junior College Newman Auditorium. Chase, dean of undergraduate studies at San Diego State University, noted the challenges involved with maintaining college campus sustainability include fiscal constraints, professional accountability and working with multiple curricula. Chase said we could start addressing these issues by building and maintaining an aspirational culture and focusing on what we can learn instead of just what we already know. “This is hard work, but we can do more,” he said. Chase is a founding board member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and is involved in other programs, which incorporate sustainability education within college curricula across the nation. The key factors Chase outlined in his presentation to transform higher education were leadership and commitment, professional and personal accountability and defining the paradigm for change. Vice President of Sustainability Cheri McLean asked for suggestions on how to be

innovative on campus to meet our personal sustainability needs. “It takes constant reframing,” Chase said. He spoke of the importance of constructive leadership and maintaining and extending current commitments to foster innovation. Dean of Student Affairs Robert Ethington noted the shift in demand by our community in how we create a culture of sustainability. Environmental science instructor Katie Gerber reiterated the necessity of constant change and focusing on the issues that are most relevant to us. “We have to find our own style, our own mission,” she said. Gerber said the hardest part of developing solutions to be more sustainable and efficient is encouraging students to get involved and come up with ideas together. McLean advocated for the approval of the student lounge referendum to create a community among the students where they may share and develop ideas towards greater sustainability on campus. SRJC has already taken progressive steps towards environmental sustainability, which includes installing LED lights, solar panels and a water bottle filling station on campus. Chase said we could do more by understanding the consequences of our actions individually and collectively, and constantly be developing strategies.

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

April 27, 2015

Alcatraz Florilegium

Petaluma campus showcases botanical art The display at the Mahoney Library Gallery currently showcases 39 artistic representations of the Alcatraz Flowers. The garden fell into neglect when the prison closed in 1963 and was resurrected 40 years later.

Kyle Schmidt / Oak Leaf

Kyle Schmidt Staff Writer Hidden in the confines of California’s most famous prison, the beautiful bulbs, succulents and roses of Alcatraz were once punished with neglect. With the proper assistance and repair from the Garden Conservancy and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Northern California Society of Botanical

Artists (NCSBA) is able to present the “Alcatraz Florilegium: Gardens of Alcatraz,” revealing illustrations of the surviving flowers, trees and shrubs to the public at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Mahoney Library Gallery. Project Manager Lyn Dahl said, “Once we started going out there [Alcatraz] a lot of the artists found it mystical.” One of the inmates, Elliot Michener, who initially helped create

the gardens at Alcatraz in 1948, wrote a letter to the warden expressing how he wanted to return to his garden. He wished for the warden to send him at least a rose from Alcatraz. Decades later, when he returned to the site, he wept in sight of the plants. NCSBA Chair of Activities Nina Antze said, “We had our first exhibit on Alcatraz, but it’s hard to find venues that hold all the pictures.” The botanical art exhibit at the

Petaluma Campus showcases 31 of 59 unique botanical art pieces by artists around the United States. Each piece shows the dynamic colors of the vibrant unspoken history of the prison in beautiful colored pencils and paint. At the exhibit there are featured poems by Alcatraz visitors around the globe inspired by an interpretive walk hosted by Mary Schumacher in 1991. The poems sat in storage untouched

until NCSBA decided to collaborate with Schumacher. The poetry on display focuses on the contrast between the beautiful gardens and the harsh prison around them. “They turned the gardens now into something breathtaking. Usually people want to go there to hear about Al Capone,” Dahl said. The exhibit revealing the true hidden wonder of Alcatraz ends July 31.

Kyle Schmidt / Oak Leaf

Top Left: Lyn Dahl displays her unique floral illustrations. Top Right: Nina Antze stands next to artwork representing one of the flowers. Bottom: A display of artwork, created with paint and colored pencil, representing the Alcatraz flowers.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Nora Ekberg: Jarrett Rodriguez

A&E

April 27, 2015

Swedish YouTube star hits SRJC and the radio in America

Co-Editor-in-Chief For Nora Ekberg, fame was not something she was aiming for when her brother asked her to sing vocals for his new song “I’m an Albatraoz.” Ekberg currently attends the Santa Rosa Junior College for the five-week exchange program from Sweden. “I love being in California and Santa Rosa, I am enjoying every minute of it,” Ekeberg said. Just before arriving to Santa Rosa, Ekberg sang at the Ultra Music Festival in Flordia, arriving later than the 20 other Sweden exchange students visiting. Her sucsess began thanks to her brother, Aron “Aronchupa” Ekberg. He gained fame when he and his friends released their first hit, also called Albatraoz. After touring Sweden, they began to write a new song, and with the help of his sister doing vocals, it blew up. “Since he wasn’t really in the business like he is now, it was just a natural thing that they would ask me if I wanted to join in and sing on the track, so I just did,” Ekberg said. “Me and my brother have always been working together.

Ongoing The Oak Leaf Letterboxing Contest – Find rubber stamps hidden around Santa Rosa Junior College’s campuses for fun and prizes. For more info go to: http://tinyurl.com/ letterboxcontest

April 29

Left: Courtesy of YouTube Right: Joseph Barkoff/Oak Leaf

Left: Nora Ekberg performs in her brother Aronchupa’s video, “I’m an Albatroaz.” Right: Ekberg poses for the camera at SRJC.

We grew up in a family full of music and my dad was a musician. I’ve been a good singer and Aron has always been a good producer and it’s kind of a good combo.” After releasing the song, its popularity spread fast, first in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and then Germany. “Our label picked it up and they said they needed something to make it go more viral than it already is and they said we need a music video. So we did it. We went to San Francisco and we rented this theater in Oakland and recorded

it in three days,” Ekberg said. That video currently sits at over 141 million views on YouTube. Also, it is No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard charts and is still on the top charts of most of Europe. With all the popularity this song has garnered, it is amazing to see someone handle the fame so gracefully. “I’m still waiting for it to blow up in the U.S. because it’s been pretty big in Europe and Australia. So I’m hoping that it will blow up here, more than it already has,” Ekberg said. Through all the fame she has

gained, Ekberg manages to stay grounded through all of it. “In entertainment, you need to look a certain way and act a certain way,” she said. “I am really trying to not talk about it too much. Of course I want to talk about it when people ask me but I’m really trying to not bring it up myself as much. I’m trying to keep it as a hobby as long as I can.” Though Ekberg is currently studying entrepreneurship, music seems to be in her future. “I love it. I love music and I love being on stage,” she said.

Women embody empowerment and self-love Staff Writer

The aspects of feminine experiences came to life at The Powerful Voices Project’s production of “The Vagina Monologues.” The performance at Santa Rosa Junior College in Newman Auditorium April 17 portrayed the unspoken world of female sexuality through monologues based on real women’s experiences on sex and abuse. Playwright Eve Ensler wrote “The Vagina Monologues” based on her interviews with women of all ages. Her purpose was to bring out women’s issues through selfexpressed monologues. “It’s very inspiring to have a lot of [people] step forward and support this kind of movement for all kinds

In the KNOW A calendar of upcoming events at SRJC

“The Vagina Monologues” Nikki Goetz

of women who are violated and raped,” audience member Alexander Gonzalez said. “It’s better to hear the outreach. It’s very inspiring and hopefully it will move a lot of people.” The show touches on subjects such as sex, love, birth, assault, rape and transition. The show portrayed the vagina as a symbol of female empowerment, and as a way to embrace individuality and self-love. Though the show is about female empowerment, men were not left out. During the monologue, “My Destiny/Self-Love Revolution,” narrator Dianna L. Grayer called the men in the audience down to the stage. Grayer gave them advice: always help by taking action when another “brother” is doing wrong. “I really appreciated the men

joining us,” Grayer said. “I want them to be able to take action. [No more] silence on these issues.” According to The Powerful Voices Project, approximately one in four women in the U.S. will experience sexual assault. The Powerful Voices Project’s goal is to enhance the conversation around sexual assault and its survivors. They create short films enlightening the strength and resiliency of sexual assault survivors. “The Powerful Voices Project is the opportunity for women who’ve been sexually assaulted to come forth and have their stories told about them surviving and thriving,” Grayer said. “It’s a beautiful organization. This is a huge way to be empowered after being sexually abused. To come forth and tell the world you’re thriving.” Student Molly Beneke has seen the

show before and once performed in it herself. “Each time there is a new spin people bring to it,” Beneke said. “I’m really liking the theme of this specifically about self-love.” The show is full of intense moments. When talking about abuse, a bongo drum was used to demonstrate how painful a woman getting hit was. Every hit of the drum made you feel as if you were the one experiencing the abuse; you were the one feeling weak and defenseless. It put the audience in the women’s shoes. The show inspires and brings awareness to end violence against women and to speak out against sexual assault. It empowers and celebrates strong and confident women to tell their stories in an artistic way.

“Performance” (film) – The story of Chas, an east London gang member. 6 p.m. pre-film lecture, 7 p.m. film, discussion to follow. Carole L. Ellis Auditorium, Petaluma Campus. Free for ASP members, $4 students, $5 general.

April 30 – May 3 “Footloose” (musical) – Cut loose to a stage adaptation of the famous 1984 musical. 8 p.m. April 30 – May 2; 2 p.m. May 2; 3 p.m. May 3. Burbank Auditorium. $12-$22.

May 2 Film Fest Petaluma Animated and Live Action Shots with Filmmakers in Coverstation. Shows at 2:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Mystic Theater. Information at www.petalumafilmalliance.org

May 3 Day Under the Oaks – Family entertainment & education, open house. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Santa Rosa Campus. Free.

May 6 “Baghdad Café” (film) – A German tourist finds herself stranded in the California desert, and forms a friendship with a woman she meets there. 6 p.m. pre-film lecture, 7 p.m. film, discussion to follow. Carole L. Ellis Auditorium, Petaluma Campus. Free for ASP members, $4 students, $5 general. SRJC’s Jazz Combos concert – Featuring Grammy Award-winning violinist Mads Tolling. 7:30 p.m., Newman Auditorium. $5.

May 8

Applied Music Honors Recital – A formal recital featuring noteworthy instrumental and vocal performances. 3-4 p.m., Carole L. Ellis Auditorium, Petaluma Campus. Free.

May 8-10

“Story Lines,” SRJC Spring Dance Show – 8 p.m. May 8, 9; 2 p.m. May 9, 10. Burbank Auditorium. $15-17, $10 bargain matinee Sat. May 9 at 2 p.m. -Craig Gettman, Staff Writer Nikki Goetz/ Oak Leaf

Left: Three women share their stories at a performance of “The Vagina Monologues.” Right: The cast of women takes a bow after an emotional, inspiring variety of self-expressed monologues.

www.theoakleafnews.com

A&E

April 27, 2015

Artist creates kid-friendly version of ‘Beowulf’ Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor By day, Alexis E. Fajardo is lead editor at the Peanuts Studio, working with creators such as Page Braddock to make a new ongoing comic book based on Schulz’s lifelong work. By night and weekends, he single-handedly writes, draws and publishes his own comic series “Kid Beowulf,” where the young hero travels the ancient world with his future mortal enemy Grendel, who in this version is also his brother. The comic series has been Fajardo’s dream project as it combines his two greatest loves - ancient mythology and comics. Fajardo’s love for comic books can be traced back to a childhood full of them, but his desire to make comics himself can be traced to three specific works. “Asterix The Legionnaire,” part of the long-running European comic series “Asterix,” was one of the first comics Fajardo remembers reading, and his art style takes heavy inspiration from it. Walt Kelly’s seminal comic strip “Pogo” was also a big influence, even if Fajardo wouldn’t get many of the jokes until he was older. Finally, Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” was the first time Fajardo realized you could make a comic series

that had a complete story with a beginning, middle and end. His love for mythology also started at a young age with Greek myths, but reading the epic poem “Beowulf ” in high school “just lit my brain on fire,” sticking with him for years afterwards. In 2003, Fajardo responded to an ad on Craigslist, not knowing it was for the Peanuts Studio and posted by Braddock, whom he had already met on the comic book convention circuit. He didn’t get that job, but left a good enough impression that he was the first choice the next time there was an opening. Fajardo started working on his own comic book shortly after moving to Santa Rosa in 2007. Bowling Hat Publishing in Portland was the publisher for the first two graphic novels in the series, but the company went under while Fajardo was 150 pages into the third, so he funded its creation on Kickstarter and released it in 2013. The comic series has been especially popular in schools; teachers have found it invaluable in stirring up interest in ancient history. His two jobs creating comics are very different from each other. Making the “Peanuts” comic book involves several people all assigned to different tasks – editing, inking or coloring – and a large part of the job is finding who’s available to do what.

Alexis E. Fajardo both writes and illustrates the comic book series “Kid Beowulf,” blending comics with history.

Farjardo writes “Kid Beowulf ” whenever he has time, and with the exception of friends helping him with colors, does all the steps himself. He does most of the work in Photoshop, although he said, “I have a font made to look like my handwriting so it looks more homemade,” He also says if he’s very lucky he can manage about 10 pages a week. Even though Fajardo is already

working for a publisher, he has little interest in taking his independent work to it. This is partly because BOOM! Studios mostly make comics for properties that are already licensed, and partly because he enjoys the control he has over his own work. “We [cartoonists] are all control freaks to a certain degree,” he said, although he admitted that being solely responsible for

Courtesy of Alexis E. Fajardo

his work is also more difficult and time consuming. He still enjoys working in the Peanuts Studio with his fellow cartoonists. “We inspire each other,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to be a part of that.” Fajardo is taking a sabbatical from “Beowulf ” to prepare for his wedding in June. “Kid Beowulf ” is currently available for free at gocomics.com.

Astrology Author delves into novelist’s mind Playwright finds inspiration

-Haley Elizabeth Bollinger , A&E Editor Aries: Sprint towards your Libra: You might have been goals. The ground is stable brainwashed by countless movies, and magazines. now, and will support positive television movement. Unless you trip, in Decipher your reality and decide what should truly play a role in which case, so sorry. how you interact with life.

Taurus:

Illogical delusions filter though your mind. Don’t indulge the negative intrusions; choose moral ways to conquer the thoughts that want to slay you.

Scorpio: The concept of money

Frolic into a digital forest; awake the critters that will join in the journey towards the revolution of your mind and seek justice in every worthy endeavor you find. Cancer: Stress seems to steal your sleep. Recreate a routine filled with relaxing ways to calm the jitters. Soak in bath salts, just don’t consume them. People need their faces.

Sagittarius:

Power, pride and ignorance is a flammable philosophy to live by. Simmer down now, your opinion is not the only one that matters.

Leo:

Aquarius: It is in your nature

Gemini:

A simple life can be complicated without organization. Throw out physical and mental trash cluttering your surroundings and your point of view will enlighten.

is only an illusion held up by the belief that it holds value. What other pursuits towards happiness have breached your perception of truth?

Capricorn:

It doesn’t take a year for a country or civilization to crumble - it takes a generation. Stand up and fight for changes that better society. You’re full of knowledge; use it for progress not plight. to shock and force people to be uncomfortable. Don’t use this gift in the wrong way. People have a way of twisting your impressions.

Virgo: Vast amounts of time are Pisces: lost worrying about matters out of your control. Predict that life is unpredictable and win back those lost hours so you can use the time to binge watch Netflix.

Your current crisis can be managed with proper ways to distribute the peace. Weave the problems together until they come to an intricate conclusion where they work together.

Rebecca Dominguez Staff Writer Getting inside someone’s mind may seem impractical, but not to Jewelle Gomez, who journeyed into AfricanAmerican author James Baldwin’s head when writing her play “Waiting for Giovanni.” In her presentation “James Baldwin: Race, Desire and the Blues” on April 16 in Newman Auditorium, Gomez discussed what she learned about Baldwin’s life and herself in the process. While Gomez’s presentation was serious, it was interjected with humorous anecdotes. She told of finding a copy of “Giovanni’s Room,” a novel about two white gay men in Paris, in her father’s home. Baldwin’s struggle to have it published inspired Gomez’s play. Gomez said her father always had magazines and books stacked throughout his house. The first time she saw a Playboy magazine it was prominently displayed at his home. There were also books by AfricanAmerican writers, one of those being “Giovanni’s Room.” “When I first read this book at 14 I didn’t know any of the backstory that surrounded its publication, or the fact that both other writers and readers were not happy with it because it wasn’t black,” Gomez said.

“He was told he was abandoning the civil rights movement.” “Giovanni’s Room” was different than Baldwin’s previous works. Not only the location, but also because African Americans rarely wrote about white characters, let alone homosexual men. Many denounced it because of this. “Baldwin had to weigh what it would mean to write a book that some thought was trivial, in light of the violence that was happening out in the world,” Gomez said. Critics were upset that Baldwin’s novel “focused on homosexuality but not on homosexuality as a sin,” Gomez said. Baldwin had similar struggles to Gomez’s when she tried to publish her novel about lesbian vampires, “The Gilda Stories.” Gomez also talked about the struggles Baldwin and other African Americans faced during the time his novel was published and the inspiration he drew from Bayard Rustin, a leader in social rights movements for civil rights, nonviolence, and gay rights. Since many film and music entities that had been all African American had started to enter into the mainstream, there were not many outlets for African American people. “Ironically, as the black cultural

“A lot of the things that were mportant for African-Americans kind of got left behind.”

- Jewelle Gomez, SRJC student

modes moved into the larger mainstream, a lot of the things that were important for African Americans kind of got left behind,” Gomez said. One of the only places that people could address racial and social issues was in literature. “Literature was very lively and racially conscious,” Gomez said of works published during the Harlem renaissance. Gomez also focused on how the blues inspired Baldwin. Gomez said, “[For Baldwin] the blues not only served as a historical context but also as a map to help him find his strength.” Gomez ended her talk with the importance Baldwin put in talking to youth. She said she felt, as Baldwin did, that talking to youth is a way of talking to the future, and that is why she enjoys giving talks like this one.

www.theoakleafnews.com

A&E

April 27, 2015

Pho Real?

Four fantastic pho factories for foodies in Santa Rosa Devin Schwarz Staff Writer Whether you say it with a hard O or a soft A, there is no dispute, this soup is pho-cking amazing. Pho has been a major part of Vietnamese culture since the early 20th century and was popularized by soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. Pho is a soup consisting of a veal bone broth seasoned with a variety of herbs depending on the region of Vietnam it is from. These include herbs and spices such as Vietnamese or Thai basil, mint, cilantro, cinnamon and star anise. The broth is often sweetened or served with sugar on the table. This broth is poured over rice noodles and sometimes raw slices of beef and then brought to the table with a plate of lime, bean sprouts and Thai basil to be added at the diner’s discretion. Here in Santa Rosa we are fortunate to have access to a plethora of foods from all over the world, among these we can find a number of Vietnamese establishments specializing in pho. I found one of these establishments a block away from Santa Rosa Junior College at Goji Kitchen—a quaint yet hip restaurant that serves a number of classic Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean dishes with a unique Sonoma County twist, using no artificial ingredients. The lunch

menu is sweet and simple with fewer options than your average Asian fusion joint but still having everything you could hope for, such as shrimp and pork spring rolls, walnut pineapple prawns and orange peel sesame chicken. Everything offered looked delicious, but I was only after one thing: pho. The broth was masterfully seasoned and the meat was cooked to perfection. I was surprised by this authenticity considering that the restaurant was not, strictly speaking, Vietnamese. Goji Kitchen is a jackof-all-trades and a great place to grab lunch during your long days at SRJC. If you’re crazy for pho, look no further then Pho Crazy on the corner of West Third and Dutton. Small and tucked away, this simple Vietnamese establishment is hard to find but worth the search. With a menu smaller than Goji’s, making a decision is not hard at Pho Crazy and is easier when you’re only looking for pho. Its namesake was well-seasoned and contained three kinds of meat: brisket, top sirloin and what they call “beef balls.” I ordered all three and enjoyed the former two, the latter putting me off slightly. These were not the meatballs of European or American cuisine but tightly packed half-circles of meat that were far closer to an eraser in texture than anything I have had

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

A plate of fresh bean sprouts, basil, slices of jalapeños and lime commonly accompany the pho to add at the diner’s desire.

over spaghetti. If texture is not your thing, avoid the balls. With a name like Simply Vietnam, this place was anything but simple. With a menu that expanded more than three pages and a secondary menu dedicated entirely to pictures of food, this place is not one to go to for a fast lunch out. Tucked away comfortably on North Dutton Avenue near West Ninth Street, Simply is often packed with people. You may have to wait for a seat, and be prepared to continue waiting for

your order. After almost an hour of sitting I discovered that it was worth it. With some of the best appetizers — don’t miss the spring rolls — and hands down the best pho I tried while writing this article, Simply Vietnam is my top pick for quality. If it had arrived faster I would have dubbed this the number one place for pho in Santa Rosa. Pho Vietnam, located off the beaten track in the Stony Point Plaza, this crowd pleaser has been popular in Santa Rosa for more than a decade,

and they deserve it. With a menu rivaling the size of Simply Vietnam’s, you may also spend quite some time trying to pick just one item, but when you do it’ll be on the table in front of you before you can say, “Is ‘Pho Vietnam’ a double entendre?” The ordering is awkward as staff serves primarily to-go customers and it may be hard to figure out what you’re supposed to do. But in the end, this is made up for by true Vietnamese quality and unbelievably fast service.

SRJC BEAR CUB CLUBS

The lifeblood of campus commu Luke Heslip Assistant Opinion Editor

Eric Iverson considers himself a Gue’vesa, what the Tau Empire from the tabletop game “Warhammer 40,000” call a human helper. Iverson, 22, is a Santa Rosa Junior College engineering major with a passion for gaming. He is bringing a tabletop gaming club to SRJC, where gamers of all varieties are welcome to explore their inner Gue’vesa or whichever brand of character they prefer. While Iverson’s inspiration for the club is tabletop games he said it would incorporate card games, like Magic: The Gathering and interactive board games. “I envision my club being a conglomeration of gamers, gathering together at SRJC,” Iverson said. If SRJC’s Inter-Club Council (ICC) ac-

tivates Iverson’s club it will join the more than 50 student run clubs and organizations, which offer diverse mediums for an involved and enriched campus life. Rock lovers may find fellow sediment delvers at the Geology Club. A secularist? Check out the Atheists and Skeptics club. Clubs also encompass some athletic organizations like the Polar Bears SRJC’s hockey team. “Clubs are the biggest unified voice on campus,” said Associated Students (AS) Vice President of Organizations and ICC chair Justine Johnson. “They are capable of reaching out and creating community on campus.” Johnson said starting a club is not as hard as people think and the student government is available to aid students developing clubs. As the ICC chair, Johnson said accessibility is her first concern. “The budget hasn’t caught up to club activity,” Johnson said, criticizing club funding. Thor Olsen, founder and president of the Atheists and Skeptics club, conceived the

group seven years ago after finding inspiration in a critical thinking course. He questioned why people weren’t discussing existential questions, like cultural relativity, and wanted to create a forum for those discussions. Olsen called the first meeting on the balcony of the Doyle Library to a gathering of about 15 to 20 students and has since continued his involvement in student life. Students elected Olsen AS Vice President of Advocacy in Spring 2014. Olsen said some SRJC students are wary of participating in campus life because they approach college with a business mentality, expecting to graduate in two years; they refrain from SRJC community involvement. AS Vice President of Programs and former ICC chair Virginia Kerr said clubs “provide an outlet for special interests.” She compared clubs to kick backs where people get together and talk about what they’re into. Her advice to students considering starting a club is, “Do whatever you want.” She implored students to create their interests at SRJC through clubs. “They are really the heart and soul of life on campus,” Kerr

Eric Iverson constructs and paints tabletop miniatures. His favorite tabletop game is Warhammer 40,000, a game Iverson will highlight in his tabeltop gaming club.

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unity

id. is comprised of official members of actiKerr is the president of the Islamic Cul- vated clubs and the AS Senate’s Vice Presire club. dent of Organizations, who is the body’s AS President Joshua Pinaula said, “There chair. Each SRJC campus has its own ICC. a big correlation between student inAny official club member may attend ICC olvement and student representation.” meetings, but each club can only vote once e beieves students in clubs are the ones on agenda items, which must be voiced by ho want to ignite change and see things its ICC representative. A proxy may vote ove forward. “They are the students who on a representative’s behalf if said repreon’t want to compromise,” sentative is absent from naula said. council proceedings, if “Clubs are the Pinaula said clubs, especially neither the representative biggest unified ports clubs, are overburdened nor a proxy is present a nd need more resources from club’s president may vote. voice on campus. he college. The ICC’s executive ofThey are capable of For students interested in ficers elect all council reaching out and rming a club, there are sevpositions except the Vice al steps and requirements. creating community” President of Organizall clubs need a faculty advistions, who is elected in - Justine Johnson to endorse its activation and the general student elecAS Vice President of tion, according to the ho must be present at all offial club meetings. A club conICC code. These posiOrganizations and itution to set guidelines and tions consist of the counICC chair perations is also mandatory, cil’s vice chair, secretary ccording to SRJC’s ICC code. and treasurer. Clubs must have a president or official A majority of ICC representatives have to ontact and an attending member in the attend council sessions to reach quorumCC to represent the club and vote on the minimum number of officers needed ouncil business. For clubs wanting to to vote on agenized items. An adviser must ongregate on campus, a club facility use also be in attendance for an official meetquest form is available on www.santa- ing. The ICC meets in the Bertolini Stuosa.edu and in the Student Affairs office. dent Center on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. Formal recognition of a club requires Iverson is still in the elementary stages ompletion of a club activation packet, of activating his tabletop gaming club. He hich includes much of the preceding in- said he believes there is genuine student rmation and is also available on the col- interest in joining. A group of students ges website and at student affairs. The meet informally in the Santa Rosa campus CC votes whether or not to approve and cafeteria to play Magic The Gathering and similate new clubs. Clubs must renew other games on frequent occasion, a comctivation every spring and fall semester. munity Iverson said he will recruit from. According to the ICC code, the council “I saw other clubs and I thought, there dministrates, coordinates and promotes is nothing here for gaming,” Iverson said. ub participation and activity. The council “The appeal is the hobby is centered around tabletop gaming and to meet other people with the same hobby. Since he was 15, tabletop gaming has been Iverson’s passion. From the time he obtained his first set of miniatures he was hooked. Now he constructs and paints his own miniatures and is studying engineerPhoto Courtesy of Eric Iverson ing to continue professionally.

SRJC Anime club Sean Curzon Staff Writer

Anime, or Japanese animation, has a strong fan base around the world including here at Santa Rosa Junior College. The anime club meets every Thursday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone can walk in or leave at any time. To decide what anime to watch, the club uses what club president, Victoria Rose, calls a fun box. A member writes down a suggestion. It can be a show, writer, director or even a studio. The club then views a clip to decide whether to watch it or not. Anime has grown from a niche subgroup to a full blown phenomenon. It is not a genre but a medium. Anime crosses a vast number of genres, club member Nick Linchner says, “One moment you’re watching a story about vampires and then the next you’re watching something about magicians using the power of love to save the world and the next you’re watching a show about giant robots fighting off an evil alien force.” Anime also likes to blend genres together. It’s not uncommon for a single series to have elements of comedy, action, horror and fantasy. Club President Vicky Rose’s favorite show is “Gin Tama,” a science fiction historical comedy. Anime also had continuing plot lines long before western shows began to pay attention to continuity. Club member Michael Look says he likes “really good story based characters or a really good plot” when looking for a series. The continuing story draws in people week to week. “The very look of anime is very different than the exaggerated and characterized western cartoons,” Look said. Many people discovered anime by watching “Pokemon,” “Sailor Moon” or “Dragonball Z” back when they aired in the ‘90’s and early 2000s. “Most people who get into anime first get into anime by watching a shonen which they probably watched on Cartoon Network,” said Rose. The club doesn’t only watch anime. According to Rose they also hold bake sales about three times a month. The club takes trips to comic book stores to read manga (Japanese comics) and even to visit Japantown in San Francisco. The club also helpws people connect to Japanese culture. “A lot of people in our club haven’t had a chance to look at actual comic books from Japan or even DVDs and Blu-ray,” Rose said. Every Tuesday the club hosts role-playing games, such as “Dungeons & Dragons” for the club members. They also have meetings on holidays. “When I look at anime, I see a world of pure imagination,” said Linchner. Anime continues to draw a fan base because of this. There’s a wide variety of material for people to be drawn to. Look calls the anime community “a niche community without being niche.” The anime club allows people to come together and meet new people and find new series to love.

April 27, 2015

Features

www.theoakleafnews.com

Battling the stigma of mental illness through education

Left & Right: Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

Left: The second annual Spring Wellness Fair, sponsored by Student Health Services and run by the PEERS coalition interns. Right: Stephanie S. Sanchez, PEERS coalition coordinator, provides valuable insight about student mental health.

Haley Elizabeth Bollinger A&E Editor Santa Rosa Junior College student Josie Leonard, 18, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a month after graduating from Analy High School. “My mom actually doesn’t even know I have a mental illness. My family is very anti-treatment and heavily stigmatized towards those with mental illness,” said Leonard. Without the support of her family, Leonard turned to her high school counselor. “He basically told me that my mental illness didn’t make me any less of a person despite how I felt and what people said. That’s the first place I got help,” she said. Leonard still experiences symptoms. “It’s hard because a lot of times, I’m on a high - I can get stuff done and I feel really happy, but then I just crash and I can’t do anything a for long time and the moods are unbalanced,” she said. She is an anomaly because most young adults do not seek help. Almost 20 percent of Americans ages 18 and older – or about one in five adults – live with a diagnosable mental health disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Compared to older adults, the 18-24 year old age group shows the lowest rate of seeking help, according to activeminds.org. Mental illness can include mental breaks, pain, isolation and depression among other symptoms. A broken arm requires a cast, a migraine, pain medication. What does one do about depression? SRJC student Alyssa Cunningham, 22, has two friends who were

SRJC Student Psychological Services Santa Rosa Campus Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Drop in at 2 p.m. Plover Hall, Room 559 (707) 524-1595 Petaluma Campus Mon.-Thu. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed., Thu. Drop in at 2 p.m. Call Building, Room 610 (707) 778-3919 North Bay Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-855-587-6373

diagnosed with depression; the Intervention Program. PEERS condition impacts their everyday consist of a group of interns who lives. She worries about them and participate for a full academic year checks up on them if she hasn’t and receive training around mental heard from them in awhile. “I know health and suicide issues. One my two friends came out with their training they receive is called Mental clinical depression. They came Health First Aid. It teaches the basics: out to me personally. They didn’t what mental health conditions look exactly announce it to the world,” like, the statistics and how to support Cunningham said. people to receive the help they need. Many students asked to be Stephanie Sanchez, PEERS interviewed on the subject declined coalition coordinator, discussed the to speak about stigma around mental it. “Not everyone health conditions. who has a mental “I think the stigmas “Give people the health issue is around talking about information and skills and it, what symptoms open to talking tools that they need to are and getting a about that kind of either support themselves diagnosis can be thing. They don’t say it. You have or support someone else,” really stigmatizing so to know them to people are sometimes - Stephanie Sanchez, know that. People afraid of getting PEERS coalition will criticize them support because they coordinator. and that’s why they might get labeled, don’t say anything,” and the label tends to said SRJC student follow you around,” Yoann Coderey, 20. she said. Leonard spoke with an Sanchez said the philosophy of optimistic attitude even with the PEERS coalition is to reduce stigma compartmentalization she feels when by having those conversations, she shares with some people. “There’s talking about mental health and a huge stigma. I try to be open with talking about it early. The reality is it, but I talk with people and then I that mental health diagnoses often tell them, ‘oh I have bipolar disorder,’ first start to appear at the 18-24 age and then they kind of shut down range. Symptoms start to appear and and they don’t really engage in the are typically present for several years conversation as much after they find before someone might access help, out. They look at me like I’m weird she said. Some students don’t want and stuff,” Leonard said. to see a therapist, but they might talk Discussions with students revealed to a friend. Friends who are trained mental health conditions are easier to recognize serious symptoms can to discuss in an environment where offer resources and help. people do not feel judged and “So we are trying to kind of get at it can trust the person who they are from both angles. Reduce the stigma sharing with. SRJC offers student of just talking about it and then psychological services to enrolled really give people the information students during the fall, spring and and skills and tools that they need to summer semesters at Plover Hall, either support themselves or support Room 559 and on the Petaluma someone else,” Sanchez said. campus in the Call Building, Room May is Mental Health Awareness 610. Individual psychotherapy, drop- month and PEERS recently received a in counseling/referrals, group therapy $1,000 mini-grant to raise awareness and psychiatric consultations are all on campus. As part of the campaign, available at no cost. Spots fill quickly PEERS representatives will distribute so it’s best to go early in the semester. lime-green ribbons. Students can pick SRJC received funding through up the ribbons at all Student Health the Mental Health Services Act to Services locations in May. Sanchez is implement a Prevention and Early recruiting for more PEERS next year. Intervention Program in January Anyone who is interested can email 2010. The program’s hope is to her at ssanchez2@santarosa.edu. bring a comprehensive approach to Suicide is the second leading promote mental health on campus. cause of death among college PEERS (People Empowering Each students, claiming the lives of 1,100 other to Realize Success) coalition students each year. More than half of is part of the Prevention and Early college students have had suicidal

MENTAL HEALTH •by the numbers•

44 million

American adults live with mental illness

That’s 1 in 5 adults 19.6%

Adults ages 18-25 diagnosed with mental illness in the United States at some point in their lifetime

diagnosed with a mental illness (by type of illness)

Source: National Institute of Mental Health thoughts and 1 in 10 students seriously consider attempting suicide. Half of college students who have suicidal thoughts never seek counseling or treatment, and 80-90 percent of those who die by suicide were not seeking help from their college counseling centers, according to activeminds.org. The Prevention and Early Intervention Program also educates students how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help with its QPR suicide prevention trainings. SRJC student psychological services are available to help students with

Infographic by Craig Gettman

their mental health and to educate them so they are knowledgeable and able to help others. Josie Leonard plans to continue her education at SRJC and maintain a routine that helps manage her symptoms. “I remind myself that I’m trying my hardest and that’s all I can do. I figure that after a while I’ll find friends that accept me and the people who write me off won’t be worth my time,” she said. “My advice for others with mental illness is to surround yourself with people who don’t stigmatize and keep doing what is best for you.”

www.theoakleafnews.com

Features

April 27, 2015

International student makes journey of lifetime Domingo Cornejo

Contributing Writer His manner is calm. He tightly pulls over his North Face fleece jacket that helps him withstand a chilly Tuesday morning, ready to discuss how much he has changed since attending school in America. Huy Pham, 24, represents a jovial member of the international students studying at Santa Rosa Junior College who wish to excel in educational opportunities that may not be found back home, wherever that may be. Pham is from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Despite his home country’s violent past with the U.S. Pham still wanted to study overseas. “The popularity of American culture affected me. What I know about the U.S. are the popular images, like New York City, Hollywood,” Pham said. “Movies, TV shows and stories from Vietnamese Americans coming back to visit. I once visited Japan before and expected it to be similar, but it’s very different.”

Pham pursued his dream to study in America and ended up at a small private school in Texas at age 18. He spoke little to no English and enrolled in an English as a Second Language program (ESL). Even through all the struggles with ESL, Pham’s conversational English excelled at the Texas University. Yet he felt his expectations of America fell short. “Some people will be rude to me here. I remember coming to a rodeo concert to see Kid Rock,” Pham said. “I was with five of my Vietnamese friends, and we heard a loud voice in the crowd yell ‘I didn’t know Asians like Kid Rock!’ I was just amazed that someone actually said that.” Despite the rude comments, he says he rarely felt uncomfortable or in danger among locals in Texas. What bothered him was his experience felt bland in comparison to what he expected. With over 3,000 international students, Pham felt he could not gain an authentic experience. He wanted to see less of international students and embrace the fantasies he saw depicted

of America as a kid. After stumbling upon the SRJC website four years ago, Pham decided he needed to come to California and move to Santa Rosa. He liked that SRJC looked like it was a smaller school than the one he was currently attending in Texas and liked that it offered the feel of a private school from the photos he saw online. “I emailed a staff member, and she responded very quick, very professional, and made my experience easy to get me moving,” Pham said. “They’re [SRJC international counselors] there for you, and I can see the population of students from different countries at SRJC, even for being such a big school population, I can see maybe only 70 international students. Ok I asked myself, ‘Why don’t you move here?’” Pham said he feeke he fits in with California culture. “Even though I’m from Vietnam, I feel like everybody thinks that I’m from here already. They recognize the diversity in California,” Pham said.

TOP & BOTTOM: Craig Gettman/ Oak Leaf

Top and bottom: SRJC student Huy Pham participates in an informal soccer practice with friends, all members of the International Club.

As Pham begins to discuss his goals, two international students stop by to chat with him, including his good friend Walter Madigoe, another international student. Madigoe came to study at SRJC from South Africa, and is as open as Pham about sharing his experiences about being an international student. Both Madigoe and Pham agree that SRJC is a wonderful school to meet people from all parts of the world. “I’m very proud to be mixed in with American people, witnessing their culture, how they live day to day, how they approach problems. It is an achievement for me to even be here,” Madigoe said. Madigoe eventually leaves after a firm handshake and a cordial smile, telling Pham he hopes to see him later in the day. Pham plans to transfer to either one of the several UC’s he applied to, or travel across the country to attend Cornell University in New York. The reasons why people have interest in moving from region to region fascinates Pham, which is why he chose to major in anthropology. He said he doesn’t mind going across the country to a state he is unfamiliar with to study; he is interested in the movement of people and plans to major in cultural anthropology. He wishes to travel across North America before he reaches a point in his life where moving long distances becomes a grim task. Besides studying for all his classes, Pham is heavily involved with the international programs at SRJC, and likes to help new international students transferring to the school feel more involved in a foreign setting. “I’m currently president of the International Club of Events,” Pham said. “I want to give some other students chances to head the club. I will be leaving soon anyways.” The club offers informal activities, like hanging out outside of class or

“Even though I’m from Vietnam, I feel like everybody thinks that I’m from here already.” - Huy Pham, SRJC anthropology major.

going on group field trips around the area. Sometimes the club has formal events like inviting the U.S. ambassador in Senegal to visit. The club also hosts a gala where international students perform, according to Pham. Pham makes it his goal to get international students to feel more at home, and has peer mentored new students. Peer mentoring is a program in which experienced international students have incoming international students tag along with them to try to get them used to life in California without feeling hopeless or lonely. “The International Board at SRJC has been very supportive on all these programs,” Pham said. With all the work he has put into making international students get more involved, Pham will eventually move on next semester. Moving on is what cultural anthropologists do best. Pham’s friends and family in Vietnam urge him to stay put in the U.S. and find the best work available after graduating. Pham understands, but he will not necessarily follow the advice. What Pham has learned most while being an SRJC student is to follow his dreams and travel where his heart desires. His demeanor rings with an undeterred confidence, he will pursue his passions relentlessly. Pham can thank the once-in-a-lifetime experience SRJC gave him for that.

April 27, 2015

Opinion

www.theoakleafnews.com

EDITORIAL The dichotomy of this yes-orno question polarizes not just politicians, but all Americans. Many ignorant, racist, flagworshipping conservatives masquerade their beliefs into “patriotism.” Therefore, many Americans choose not to identify as “patriotic” since it carries the weight of thousands of idiots. Maybe you think America is the most exceptional country in the world, and maybe you don’t go around saying that because you have respect for other countries. And why do we have to be the best? There’s no scale to judge it on. Should we judge all countries based on their fifth grader’s test scores and the rate of violent crimes? We would not be so exceptional in those categories. Patriotism, at its most basic, is loving the land you call home. A best friend wouldn’t lie to you to make you feel better. They would be honest and critical, if they truly loved you. Obama loves us, even if Giuliani said he doesn’t. Obama loves America so much he sees the potential it has. Maybe Giuliani sees the U.S. as a powerful acquaintance and sucks up to her because he’s masking his shady intentions. America has room for improvement, and so does our cultural understanding of patriotism. A true American patriot doesn’t have to fight in a war for our

Illustration by Chantelle Bogue

Do you think America is the greatest country in the world? For today’s politicians, the answer to this question doesn’t reveal their reflections on American history; it falsely validates their patriotism. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani recently questioned Barack Obama’s patriotism by saying the president wasn’t raised to “love America” and that the president “sees our weaknesses as footnotes to the great things we’ve done.” Giuliani somewhat clarified his ignorance by saying “with all our flaws we’re the most exceptional country in the world. I’m looking for a presidential candidate who can express that.” So, if you answer ‘yes, America’s the greatest’, you have passed Giuliani’s patriot test. If you answer ‘no,’ clearly, you don’t love America. Giuliani seems to use this question as more of a litmus stupidity test. Can you say America is the best, no questions asked? Can you deny science? Deny man-made climate change? You can be a patriot. According to Giuliani, you should run for president. Our founding fathers must be rolling in their graves. They wanted a change and criticized the status quo, sentiments that we should deem as patriotic as they were in 1776. Just because Obama is conscious of America’s problems doesn’t mean he isn’t patriotic.

country; a true patriot protects the homeland in another way: by preserving it. Promoting National and State Parks, saving endangered ecosystems and recycling waste helps to protect the home soil more than soldiers do by occupying other countries. Yet, our society tells us soldiers are America’s heroes,

and those environmentalists are anti-American for slowing down business. It’s also apparently un-American to support immigration and the proper treatment of human beings who cross our boarders without paperwork. Unless you’re Native American, your ancestors were immigrants at one point,

so it’s hypocritical to deny other immigrants the opportunities America offers. We do live in an exceptional country, under an exceptional Constitution, but even Thomas Jefferson said we should revise the Constitution every 20 years. There’s no need to lie to ourselves, because if we do, we stop improving.

Gambling with national security Luke Heslip

Assistant Opinion Editor

Sober diplomacy should be the baseline to all foreign policy; this seemingly obvious and sensible mindset is frequently ignore. Iran is currently polarizing the United States’ leaders on foreign policy. Everything hinges on Iran’s nuclear program, an intensely controversial subject shrouded by misgivings and unilateral positions. The Obama administration and the Iranian government recently reached an agreement to curb Iran’s capacity to build nuclear weapons in the near future but still allow the country to pursue a nuclear energy program. The purpose of foreign policy is

to preserve the security of a country with rational considerations of the capabilities and agendas of other countries. This theory should trump the political ambition and rhetoric of any political actor or sect. For a nation’s leaders to effectively govern they must balance the needs of their constituents with the demands of lobbying powers, the scarcity of their own influence and, in the case of democratic systems, the struggle to stay elected. That established foreign policy, as a function of politics, is inherently impure. It is, nonetheless, the obligation of public leaders to prioritize national stewardship above petty political pressures and sectarian allegiances.

Photo Courtesy of Topnews

American and Iranian flags contrast much like the nations they represent.

The security of a nation is invariably more important than any official retaining office. The Iran deal would limit the nation’s operating centrifuges by two-thirds to 5,060 and reduce its stockpile of low-enriched uranium from 10,000 kilograms to 300 for 15 years. In exchange for Iran’s scaled-back nuclear program, western powers will alleviate its economic sanctions. The deadline for negotiations is June 30. Ratification of the deal requires Congressional approval, which at present is doubtful given most Republicans and some Democrats vehemently oppose the deal. The deal’s detractors wantonly refuse to treat with Iran. Junior Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton’s stubbornness led him to author a letter sent to Iranian authorities signed by 46 Senate Republicans in March, which undermined the U.S.’s sincerity to honor the compact after President Obama’s tenure and the constitutionality of the deal. The adversarial history of the U.S. and Iran warrant skepticism in granting credence to Iran’s willingness to adhere to the proposed nuclear agreement. Relations between the two countries have been stained by dishonest dealings and unabridged contempt since the U.S. ousted Iran’s democratically elected

Prime Minister in 1953. Since then, Iranian revolutionaries took more than 60 hostages from the American embassy in Tehran in 1979 and in 2002 President George W. Bush denounced Iran as belonging to an axis of evil. President Obama’s 2013 phone call with newly elected Prime Minister Hassan Rouhani was the first conversation between American and Iranian heads of state in 30 years. Iran’s regional acrimony with Israel, a close American ally and nation-state particularly favored by conservatives, categorically dissuades many American leaders from negotiating with Iran. Critics of the deal, like South Carolinian Senator Lindsey Graham, council the U.S. to demand Iran’s complete concession on the nuclear issue, which would entail Iran having no nuclear capabilities, and indignantly maintain unwillingness to compromise. This is unacceptable. Iran is a dangerous, highly developed nation with an able military and arguably bears ill intentions for the U.S., which is why it is imperative for the U.S. to confirm peaceful terms with Iran. If Iran is willing to enter a contract of nuclear arms prevention, the U.S. should solidify that deal. The alternatives are to have no deal, which would liberate Iran to develop nuclear weapons, or to pressure Iran into

submission, which would provoke the historically hostile country. These are both diplomatically disastrous options. It is in America’s best interests if Iran has a docile nuclear program. The Obama administration’s deal moderates Iran’s nuclear capacity and strengthens international ties. Any American leader who will not treat with Iran on principle is committing a breach of diplomacy. It may be politically advantageous for some politicians to rail against the Iran deal and keep faith with Israel on all matters, but it is selfserving and reckless. Balking at the deal amounts to gambling with national security. The Cold War demonstrated that entrenched ideological standoffs between militarily endowed nations, or opposed alliances of such nations, breed poisonous international relations, which in that era escalated into American wars in Korea and Vietnam and a Soviet war in Afghanistan. These conflicts extinguished millions of lives and decimated entire countries. The Iron Curtain has fallen and, a new century has ushered in a new international dynamic. It is time for the U.S and all world powers to embrace a world construct built on thoughtful diplomacy and compromise. Prevention of war should outweigh all else.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Median wage law

Opinion

April 27, 2015

In a race to raise the minimum wage Domanique Crawford Opinion Editor

For a single adult, the average monthly expense for housing in Sonoma County is $850, transportation is $285, and food is $242. The hourly living wage is $10.69, according to the Living Wage Calculator. The total cost of living in Sonoma County is way too expensive for a single adult trying to survive on a federal wage stuck at $7.25 an hour, let alone individuals with dependents to feed. Despite Congress failure to approve President Obama’s proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour - 29 states, the District of Columbia, and 21 cities and counties have increase their hourly minimum pay rates above the federal standard; and yet, there is still resistance from Congressional Republicans. As a nation still recovering from the great recession, the fiscal need to raise the minimum wage is evident. Congress last raised the Federal minimum wage in 2009. Since then, the living wage- the wage needed to support the standard of living- has increased and the gap in income inequality continues to grow. To bridge this gap and boost our economy, raising the federal minimum wage is key. Democrats are undeterred by the lack of Republican votes. Sen. Patty

Murray and Rep. Robert Scott seem to be sticking to the old adage, “If you don’t succeed try, try again” when they proposed the Raise the Wage Act measure calling for a $12 hour raise by 2020. Why push for the $2 difference? According to the Economic Policy Institute and the National Employment Law Project (NELP) Fact Sheet, increasing the minimum wage to $12 will provide a raise for 38 million workers, streamline billions into the economy by stimulating consumer spending, start indexing the minimum wage by 2021 to automatically adjust the minimum wage to the cost of living [annually adjust the minimum wage-to-median law ratio], and gradually phase out the subminimum wage [rates below the minimum]. This means that employers will no longer be able to reduce pay based on a tip credit rate that hasn’t changed since 1991. Critics oppose raising the minimum wage because they are afraid that it will increase the unemployment rate for low-wage workers - especially teens, cause small businesses to suffer and have little to no effect on boosting our economy. With change comes concession and while these concerns are valid, Republicans have stretched these points to the extreme. As reported by the Department of Labor, 88 percent of those who would benefit from a federal minimum wage

Who Will Benefit from The Raise the Wage Act?

37.7 million workers (more than one in four)

of wage-earning women (which equals 21.1 million women) Graph by Chantelle Bogue

increase are age 20 or older. The wage increase will help low-income families rise above the poverty line. A raise in minimum wage will not have a huge impact on teen unemployment rates and as part of a generation nicknamed the “Me, Me” the search for employment is already a struggle. Threats to small businesses are ever present. Owning a smallbusiness means constant vigilance of economic growth. The American Sustainable Business Council and Business for Fair Minimum Wage polled 555 national small businesses, with two to nine employees. The report showed 58 percent believe that raising the minimum wage would increase consumer purchasing power.

Lower-income families: Half of affected workers have total family incomes of less than $40,000 a year

16.6 million working men Big business will take the greatest hits in their profit from minimum wage increases. The NELP reports the 50 largest employers of lowwage workers have largely recovered from the recession and most have the capacity to pay their employees more than a fair wage. Large corporations are also frustrated at having to pay a high cost for lowskill jobs. Although I am empathetic to the businessowner’s plight, the bottom line is, if we want our economy to survive we have to bolster the middle class and increasing the minimum wage will do just that. In fact, researchers found raising the wage increases productivity by increasing motivation and reduces employee turnover.

Parents:

27.6%

of affected workers have children

College-educated workers: 47% of affected workers have at least some college experience

The idea that raising the minimum wage will have no effect on economic growth is preposterous. Since 1938, Congress increased the federal minimum wage 22 times. For more than 75 years, real GDP per capita has steadily increased, even when the minimum wage has been raised, according to the Department of Labor. It’s clear that by raising the wage, we will increase consumer spending without adding to state and federal budget deficits. The fight to crush stagnant wages and income inequality is at hand, whether critics like it to or not. State legislatures and county governments are taking the decision away from Congress by enacting median laws of their own.

SRJC leaves room for improvement in accessibility Carin Huber Copy Editor

As a community college, it’s Santa Rosa Junior College’s duty to make education accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability. This is a duty that SRJC is not fulfilling as well as it could. The college should address problems with poor maintenance and planning. I have good friends and family who use wheelchairs, so I hear about the challenges they face. Although I’m not mobility impaired by common standards, I use automatic door openers whenever they’re available. By avoiding touching public door handles I reduce my chances of getting sick or passing germs to my father, whose immune system is compromised. For these reasons, I am very aware of accessibility issues. When electric door openers don’t work, are confusing or inaccessible, I can just wash my hands an extra time if I have to use the door handle. Someone in a wheelchair may not be able to get through the door at all. Most installations of door opener buttons consist of two buttons on both the inside and outside of the door. One button is placed about 3 feet from the ground to be pushed by hand, while the other is placed

lower, where it can be pushed with a wheelchair’s footrest. A malfunction in either of these buttons can leave someone stranded on the wrong side of the door. The working button may not be one the person can use. I have found non-working door openers on the SRJC campus in multiple buildings, and these buttons have remained broken for months. Others are placed in such a way that it’s confusing which door they are supposed to open. Still others are installed in places that are hard to reach, or alterations to the building make the buttons inaccessible to someone in a wheelchair. In the north end of Analy Hall, a wall-mounted display case is just an inch or so away from a door button. The bottom corner of the case, while well above the lower button, is a sharp corner which may, nevertheless, keep some wheelchair users from reaching it. SRJC student James Vigare hasn’t had problems with broken buttons, but said that some doors don’t stay open long enough for him to maneuver his large electric wheelchair through them. Bathrooms can be a challenge for him, too. “Some of the bathrooms should be a little bit bigger,” Vigare said. “Some of them are hard to get in with my chair.”

Another bathroom problem is the placement of tissue holders in the wheelchair accessible stalls. Such stalls have grab rails which affect the placement of tissue holders. Most of the time the holder is installed below the rail. This places the bottom of the holder, where the tissue is dispensed, at or below knee level of someone seated on the commode. In Analy Hall’s women’s bathroom, the bottom of the tissue holder is less than 20 inches from the floor in the wheelchair accessible stall. If the tissue roll is nearing its end, I have to twist my wrist painfully to reach it. The lowest holder in the other stalls in this bathroom is 3 inches higher. The highest one is 33 inches above the floor. In some restrooms the commode in the wheelchair accessible stall is a few inches taller than those in the other stalls, making the problem with low-set tissue holders even worse. Using a public restroom with a wheelchair is difficult enough. Why are tissue holders being placed so low, when it would be no more difficult to install them above the rail? I appreciate the concessions SRJC makes to bring educational opportunities to everyone. I just think there’s room for Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf When accessability buttons break down, wheelchair users are inconvienced. improvement.

Opinion False rape accusation stains Phi Kappa Psi’s legacy 16

April 27, 2015

www.theoakleafnews.com

Austin Burmester Staff Writer

Rolling Stone magazine published an article Nov. 19, 2014 titled “A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA.” This article, which Rolling Stone later retracted due to false accusations, claimed members of the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi at the University of Virginia had gang raped a freshman named Jackie at their fraternity house the night of Sept. 28, 2012. Since society and the American media often negatively portray fraternities and sororities, this didn’t come as a big shock to many people. Studies have shown 1 in 5 females will experience sexual assault at some point in their four years of college and that fraternity men are 300 percent more likely to be involved in sexual assault. However, you will never see a viral article about a fraternity raising a lot of money for charity, which happens constantly. Rest assured though, you will always see the negatives of fraternity life in mainstream media. The journalist who wrote the story, Sabrina Erdely, took the word of Jackie and went on with the story without any evidence. Rolling Stone’s apology reads, “We would like to apologize to our readers and to all of those who were damaged by our story and the ensuing fallout, including members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and UVA administrators and students.” That’s it. That’s all the fraternity of Phi Kappa Psi received from the

magazine. Rolling Stone bashes the Greek life system at UVA, bashes the fraternity name, accuses members of gang rape, and that’s all they get in return? Once Rolling Stone released this article, students and faculty at the University of Virginia were outraged. The president of UVA decided to suspend all fraternities and sororities immediately. In turn, Phi Kappa Psi’s national leadership shut down their UVA chapter to cooperate with the police investigation and began one of their own. Keep in mind there had still been zero evidence to support the woman’s claims at this point, only her word. Then a police investigation began. You would think a journalist writing for Rolling Stone would’ve gotten quotes from police, the victim’s friends, and the alleged rapists or would’ve asked her source, Jackie, to talk to the police before she decided to write an article with massive accusations. After many others began to question the story, Erdely did an interview with the Washington Post explaining the steps she took to write the story. It turns out Erdely talked to no one besides Jackie. “I’m satisfied that these guys exist and are real. We knew who they were,” she said. The story began to unravel when many “facts” in the article turned out to be false. Phi Kappa Psi did not have a party on the night Jackie claimed, her friends didn’t believe her story and the people she named and described in her interview either didn’t exist or were fabricated to

Protesters gather outside the Phi Kappa Psi building following false accusations.

Photo Courtesy of Bob Mical

some degree. On April 5, Rolling Stone officially retracted the article after five months in the public eye. There is no way to know how many people read this article before then, thousands, hundreds of thousands; we’ll never know. Even though Rolling Stone retracted the article and apologized, it is not enough. This article is perfect evidence of how the media and the people in this country portray fraternities. I’m not going to sit here and pretend a member of a fraternity has never raped a girl, because that has happened before, but you shouldn’t judge a community as a whole by the actions of a few individuals. Although law enforcement never confirmed the accusations

in the Rolling Stone article, this is yet another stain on the Greek community, especially the fraternity system at UVA, which will forever be tainted with this national story of gang rape. Although it was unsubstantiated, people will probably wonder and sometimes associate the fraternity with this article. The truth is there are more than 9 million Greek members in this country. Those members raise over $7 million each year for charities. Fraternity members head 43 of the country’s 50 largest corporations and 83 percent of the executives of all Fortune 500 companies are members of the Greek community. Forty out of 47 men who have served on the Supreme Court and

76 percent of Congress members are also members of fraternities. The fraternity system teaches leadership and philanthropy by forcing new members to be organized, push them to better themselves and make them want to become leaders. Greek members are fully indulged into community service and work together every semester to raise amazing amounts of money for charity. I’m not saying fraternities are perfect, because they aren’t. Though it can bring substantially more positive things into our community than negative. The Greek system teaches leadership and philanthropy, not rape. The mainstream media’s biased stereotype and hatred of fraternities needs to end.

slogan still used to today: “No Means No.” The slogan is aimed towards deplorable, aggressive men who take advantage of and sexually assault women. While this campaign had good intentions, the slogan implies the faulty assumption that misogynist men will actually listen to and respect a woman’s wishes; “no” doesn’t seem to be in their repertoire. When simplifying the definition of the word “no” proved to be

futile, the rape whistle and pepper spray became widely promoted as devices every woman should have. And while these may be beneficial tools to fend off predators and alert others, they are not actually fixing the problem. When young women are told they need to go buy pepper spray to defend themselves from rapists, we’re saying “Hey, people are going to try to rape you and there’s nothing we can do about it, so deal with it yourself.” Women are told to take self-defense classes to protect themselves from predators, to use the buddy system and not go anywhere alone at night. Do this, don’t dress like that, don’t go here and don’t act this way. We’re putting all the responsibility on women not to get raped. Subsequently, we blame her when she does. This victim blaming translates to shaming and humiliation, often causing the victim of sexual assault to not report the crime. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), 68 percent of sexual assault crimes go unreported in the U.S. We need to stop telling women “don’t get yourself raped,” and blaming them for it when it happens, and start teaching men not to rape in the first place. That starts with teaching men at a young age to have

respect for women, which could be incorporated into grade school curricula and sex education courses. Of course not all men assault or rape women, and women are not the only ones who get sexually assaulted. But with the high rates of rape and sexual assault remaining constant, especially on college campuses, and the vast majority of these crimes perpetrated by men towards women, it seems clear that our current solutions need changing. To address the ineffectiveness of current rape prevention standards, California adopted a bill into law last year to better define what sexual consent actually means. Connected with the “Yes Means Yes” campaign, the law seeks to define affirmative consent, whereas the “No Means No” slogan does not include people who are incapacitated and unable to give consent. Ultimately, the answer does not rest in a can of pepper spray. We shouldn’t need little gadgets, clothing rules and catchy slogans. Respectful men can be allies for women and role models for young men everywhere. Likewise, independent and self-confident women can be role models for young women, showing them that they don’t have to tolerate disrespect or dated societal norms.

Maci Martell

Assistant News Editor

It’s a sad state of affairs when it’s basically a requirement for women to carry pepper spray whenever they walk alone. It’s even sadder because I don’t need to tell you the reason why. You already know. One in five college women will be sexually assaulted and/or raped during their college years, according to President Barack Obama’s Task

Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault. We’ve heard this statistic all too often, and strangely it has yet to change. This is because there hasn’t been enough focus on legitimate solutions. It wasn’t until almost 20 years ago that our nation started addressing the rape problem in our patriarchal society, and the Canadian Federation of Students was one of the first to try to prevent or reduce the rate of rape on college campuses. The organization developed the

Illustration by Chantelle Bogue

Teach respect along with prevention and good ethics

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Sports

April 27, 2015

From California to Hawaii

SRJC Sports Calendar Baseball April 28 at TBA – Play-in Game May 1 at TBA Regional runs May 1-2

Golf Men’s May 4 vs. NorCal Regional at Merced Golf Club

Swim and dive April 30-May 2 vs. CCCAA State Championships at 9:30 a.m. at East L.A. College, Monterey Park Joseph Barkoff/ OakLeaf

Matt LoCoco steals second base a second time against Yuba City College March 4 at Sypher Field in Santa Rosa. LoCoco nows plays basbeball at the University of Hawaii.

Former SRJC Bear Cub baseball star takes talents across the Pacific Robert Marshall

Sports Editor

fter two years lacing up his cleets for the Bear Cubs baseball team, Matt LoCoco now plays baseball for University of Hawaii. LoCoco’s journey started in 2013 when head coach Damon Neidlinger gave him the chance to play for Santa Rosa Junior College. In his first season he was part of the team’s 2013 Big 8 Conference championship. He batted a .217 average in the 18 games played, and fielded a 1.000 average. “Matt was a very good player and

a solid student,” Neidlinger said. “He worked very hard on and off the field to become a DI scholarship recipient at University of Hawaii.” Assistant coach Tom Francois recalled when mononucleosis forced LoCoco to sit three games. He didn’t enjoy it but he had to. “Matt LoCoco is one of the finest young men, and beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of the toughest competitors that we have ever had the pleasure of having on the field,” Francois said. But it was his sophomore season when LoCoco stepped up. He earned first team All-Big 8 Conference honors with a .288 batting average, scoring 33 runs with

15 RBIs. He led the team with 17 steals, had a .989 fielding percentage and seven doubles, three triples and a team-high two home runs. “He was great,” said pitcher Kyle Mitchell. “He always gave 100 percent, not only during games but practice as well.” Mitchell also said it was nice knowing he had the support of LoCoco when he was on the plate. “Whether he was having a good game or a bad game, he always had a positive attitude that inspired our other teammates to push on and enjoy the process,” Mitchell said. LoCoco, a 2011 graduate of Piner High School, played two seasons under head

Tom Francois:

The story of a man with heart, ambition, faith and inspiration T

Tom Francois bows his head, along with SRJC Baseball in a moment of reflection before the final regular season game of 2015, against Sierra College April 24 at Sypher Field.

play at the professional level.” After LoCoco graduates with a bachelor’s in fitness and sports in Spring 2016, he hopes to become a personal trainer and open up his own sports/gym facility. “I owe a lot of my success to the coaching staff and teammates I had while I was there [at SRJC],” LoCoco said. LoCoco left a lasting impact on Bear Cubs baseball and hopes to be just as successful in Hawaii. “Matt epitomized how much young guys can develop at the JC level,” Neidlinger said. “Matt was a great teammate and was a good leader, who did it by working hard every day.”

Head coach, McLellan Out: associate coach out as well Travis LaBrucherie Staff Writer

Anthony Sosa definite people person, Francois has a prosthetic leg Staff Writer and a pretty good sense of humor when it comes to ake a walk out to Santa Rosa Junior College’s his missing leg. “An alligator bit it off,” he said. Sypher field, during practice or a game Francois is one of five baseball coaches and and you will probably see an elderly man wearing arguably one of the most beloved. glasses and a ball cap, sitting on top of a bucket of “Tom is the type of guy that instantly brings a baseballs, with a baseball uniform that covers up a smile to your face when you see him,” said Bear part of him that would never be suspected unless Cubs second baseman Michael Reynolds. known about. SRJC baseball is what Francois dedicates most of Tom Francois, 74, is in his sixth year of coaching his life to. He enjoys coaching and loves all of the the Bear Cubs baseball team. A humble man, and players and coaches involved. “I look at all of the players as my own grandchildren,” Francois said. Francois began his baseball coaching career at Montgomery High School. He coached for three years prior to coaching for SRJC. Francois met Brandon Hampton from a summer baseball league. Hampton introduced Francois to SRJC and shortly after Francois joined the Joseph Barkoff/Oak Leaf coaching staff.

coach Nate Eisenman. He batted a .323 average his first season with 15 runs and 13 RBIs. His senior season he improved with a .500 batting average, and scored 15 runs, with nine RBIs, three doubles, two triples and 13 steals. He earned 2011 first team All-North Bay League honors. In his career so far at Hawaii, he’s batted a .146 average with two RBIs in the 29 games he’s played and has a 1.000 fielding percentage. “SRJC style of baseball is more intense and puts you in a great position to be successful,” LoCoco said. “At Hawaii, it’s more mellow and about succeeding in games getting to

Opinion

he Bay Area sports community has lost another head coach, as the Todd McLellan era is over for the San Jose Sharks. Unlike the San Francisco 49ers loss of Jim Harbaugh, the departure of Mclellan was necessary. Don’t get me wrong McLellan was a great coach, but something needed to change in San Jose. In seven seasons with the Sharks, McLellan had a record of 311-163-66, with three straight Pacific Division titles (2008-11) and a President’s Trophy (2008-09). Under McLellan, the Sharks had six playoff appearances with a 30-32 record and made it to two conference finals. But something was holding them back; they just couldn’t take it to the next step and reach the Stanley Cup Finals. This season the Sharks went 40-339 and didn’t make the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons. After a colossal Continued on Page 20... meltdown in the first round against the

Photo Courtesy of Sporting News

Todd McLellan during a press confernece. McLellan and the Sharks have mutaully parted ways after seven seasons.

Los Angeles Kings in the 2014 playoffs, the Sharks were due for a major change. There seems to be a disconnection between the players, coaching staff and the front office. General Manager Doug Wilson made the right call by parting ways with McLellan. There are a lot of coaches who will be available during the offseason. Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock is in the final year of his contract. The only way the Wings might resign him is if they win the 2015 Stanley Cup. Babcock is a very successful coach and would be a great fit for the Sharks. Continued on Page 19...

Sports

April 27, 2015

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Kyle Vannetti

SRJC runner sprints across California Gideon Halpin

Photo courtesy of SRJC women’s swim and dive

Womens swim and dive are Big 8 Champions Robert Marshall

Sports Editor

he Santa Rosa Junior College women’s swim and dive team are once again Big 8 Champions after setting records in three events. In the 400 (IM) Individual Meter, Midori Dobson scored a time of 4:42.57 seconds. Miranda Howell scored a time of 2:04.26 seconds in the 200 Backstroke. “I feel absolutely amazing,” Howell said. “I’m also very proud of myself considering I was seriously sick for three weeks and I’m also so proud of my teammates! We all did a fantastic job.” In the 200 Breaststroke, Christine Lewis scored a time of 2:25.01 seconds. Howell also won in the 100 Backstroke and Lewis won in the 100 Breaststroke. With Howell’s breaking record, she was named “Outstanding Swim Meet of the Year.” In the 200 IM, Celine Sargis was named the Big 8 Champion while finishing second in the 200 Butterfly. The Bear Cubs scored 789 overall points over Diablo Valley College, who scored 733. After the Bear Cubs’ results, they are now heading to compete for their seventh state title with 11 swimmers who will represent them at the CCCAA State Championship.

Contributing Writer

ne of the fastest sprinters at Santa Rosa Junior College, invisible to most but an anchor to his team, Kyle Vannetti has the face of a kid and an unmatched collection of quirky shirts. Vannetti is a typical freshman on the SRJC grind with 7 a.m classes Monday through Thursday; the only difference is that every weekend he races against some of the fastest sprinters from Northern California. “I don’t balance things; they just kinda happen,” Vannetti said. In school, Vannetti is working on his general education for an undeclared major, but for athletics, he has laser focus. Vannetti, like many SRJC athletes, is required to not only excel scholastically, but to spend at least six days a week perfecting his craft. The dedication is of course voluntary, but to an athlete like Vannetti, the drive to compete cannot be contained. Running constitutes his very making. For some, sports are just something to do in high school. To compete in college is a separate matter; it can be a distraction from a degree, a time killer, but for Vannetti, it’s the reason he’s at SRJC. “If it weren’t for running, I wouldn’t be in college,” he said . For Vannetti, sports are an outlet in which to express his energy. Like an artist will paint for the thrill of composing art, Vannetti sprints. Four weeks ago at American River College, Vannetti anxiously awaited the start of his heat in the 200-meter

Alec Rennard Baseball

sprint. He said to a teammate, “Dude, I’m nervous, I don’t feel good, I’ll probably just get second.” The teammate responded, “Just run fast and win. That’s all you have to do.” Vannetti did exactly that. He drove out of his blocks and stayed low to build up speed. He ran in perfect form with his arms at right angles synchronized to his opposite leg’s stride; coming off the curve he had a slight lead, and pounded out the last 100 meters. He ran a personal record of 21.94 seconds, winning the heat. “Technically Kyle is one of the better runners we have; his form is impeccable,” said SRJC track and field head coach David Wellman. “He always finds enjoyment going out competing.” Before his SRJC chapter, Vannetti attended Analy High School in Sebastopol, where his best moment in sports so far occurred. Sophomore year, Vannetti received the handoff for the 4 x 100-meter sprint as the team’s anchor; however, his team was about 15 meters behind. Despite this, Vannetti made up the deficit and outsprinted Petaluma’s anchor to win the race for his team. Although gifted, Vannetti remains humble. When asked about his life, he was reluctant to share. His twin sister Katie, also an SRJC student, was more helpful when it came to the good stuff, like his girlfriend in Switzerland. Last year Kyle was spending the summer in Switzerland visiting his family when he met his dream girl, Serena. “I picture her at the end of each race,” Vannetti said. Vannetti would like to return to Switzerland for the summer again,

Daniel Kong/ OakLeaf

SRJC runner Kyle Vannetti practices for the Conference Finals April 23. He will be competing in the 200 meter and 4x100.

but if not, his summer plans are to he had to think about it for a few seconds, and then said, “When in hang out and chill. As for his life motto or prerogative, doubt, run fast.”

Michael Reynolds Baseball

Ashley Stevens Softball

Mimi Fowler

Volleyball

Favorite fruit?

Pomegranate

Strawberries. I could easily eat a whole box in one sitting

Strawberry

Pineapple

Biggest fear?

Reaching the end of my life and realizing I took it too easy

Going to Chipotle and realizing it’s closed

Looking back on my career and knowing I could’ve done more to become a better player

Open water

Dream car?

Sage green, 7.3L Ford F350 diesel with a sixspeed transmission

Nissan GT-R

The Hammer Roll

Burrito Roll. It would be a burrito becasue they are better

If you were a sushi chef what would be your signature roll?

Black

Mercedes-Benz SL65AMG

The you’ve ava gotta be kidding me roll

Old black Jeep Rangler Sport The Mimihanna with rice, spam, avocado, with a dash of pepper

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

April 27, 2015

SRJC baseball sweeps Sierra en route to six straight wins Parker Dangers Oncken Staff Writer

n exciting fashion in the bottom of the ninth, the Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team [26-10,15-6] finished a series sweep over Sierra College at Sypher Field April 24. In the first game, the Bear Cubs scored early and often, putting up four runs in the second inning behind a deluge of extra base hits, and continued to pile on throughout the afternoon, eventually winning 10-1. Pitcher Alec Rennard was electric, pitching eight innings of three-hit ball. “I was able to find the strike zone early in the game and got into a good Joseph Barkoff/ OakLeaf rhythm,” Rennard said. “That allowed Top: Jake Scheiner steals third base on a passed ball against me to consistently get ahead in the Sierra College April 24 at Sypher Field. The Bear Cubs swept count and forced soft contact on twoSierra College and now are riding a six-game win streak strike pitches from the opposing team.” with an 26-10 overall record and a 15-6 conference record. Rennard also said the early run Bottom: Jake Hedrick scoops up a soft hit down the third support was huge because it allowed baseline against Sierra College April 24 at Sypher Field.

him to attack hitters, making his job a whole lot easier. In the second game of the series, the Bear Cubs stayed hot, using a balanced offensive attack led by catcher Ryan Haug and outfielder Zach Hall to score eight runs. Pitcher Kyle Mitchell went eight strong innings, allowing eight hits and a pair of runs. Bear Cubs assistant coach Tom Francois said the recent string of dominant pitching performances is showing just how deep the team’s staff is. “The offense has had its ups and downs this season, but the pitching has been about as consistently good as we could ask for,” Francois said. The final game may have been short on runs, but it wasn’t short on drama. The Bear Cubs prevailed behind a gutsy pitching performance from staff ace Garrett Hill, and an incredible game from third baseman Jake Hedrick, who

grounded a two-out walk-off single through the left side of the infield, giving the Bear Cubs their sixth straight win. Those in attendance will remember Hedrick’s clutch hit as the highlight of the game, but his defense was just as impressive. His leaping catch turned a two-run double into a double play in the third inning, and saved another run with a diving stop in the eighth. Pitcher Garrett Hill didn’t have his best stuff, but managed to throw six shutout innings, keeping his team in the game by making pitches when it counted. “This was an important start for me,” Hill said. “Confidence is huge in the game of baseball, and to go out there and pitch like I did today does a lot for my confidence heading into the playoffs.” The Bear Cubs look to continue their success during the Regional Playoffs beginning May 1. Location TBA.

Sharks part ways with head coach Continued from Page 17...

A long shot coaching option I’d like to see is Darryl Sutter of the Los Angeles Kings. Sutter is also in a rocky situation with his current organization, even after leading them to two Stanley Cup championships in the last three years. He coached the Sharks from 1997-2002. If the Kings let him go, I would love to see him bring his record success in L.A. up to San Jose. After mutually parting ways with the Sharks, McLellan will easily find another coaching job. He will be coaching Team Canada in the upcoming Men’s World Hockey Championship, and might find his home in Philadelphia next season as

the Flyers’ head coach. Assistant coaches Jim Johnson and Jay Woodcroft, along with video coordinator Brett Heimlich, will also no longer be with the Sharks. Associate coach Larry Robinson will step into the role of director of player-development for San Jose. People talk about team chemistry between players, but there also needs to be chemistry between players and coaches. The Sharks have a very talented team and just need a coaching staff that they can connect to, learn from and win with.

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Sports

April 27, 2015

SRJC baseball coach Tom Francois Continued from Page 17...

Joseph Barkoff/ OakLeaf

Dana Thomsen smacks the cover off the ball for a hit against Sierra College April 24 at Marv Mays Field.

Softball end season with heartbreak Parker Dangers Oncken

Staff Writer

he Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs softball team lost its regular season finale in heartbreaking fashion April 21 at Marv Mays field. In a game that represented a perfect microcosm of the season, the Bear Cubs fought back from an early deficit to take a sixth-inning lead, then immediately coughed it up as a result of shaky defensive play. Sophomore ace Dana Thomsen, one of six graduating sophomores, pitched a complete game in the losing effort, giving up eight hits and four runs. A couple of grooved pitches and timely hits allowed Sierra College to spoil the final game of Thomsen’s stellar two-year run at SRJC. SRJC finished the season 20-20 overall, with a 7-14 Big 8 Conference record. As a young team, SRJC endured its fair share of growing pains throughout the season, but continued to play as a cohesive unit. Thomsen said she'll miss the feeling of unity and being a part of something bigger than yourself that playing for SRJC brought. For her, it is an unmatched feeling. “A team goes through everything together; always working towards a single goal. Though I look forward to graduating this spring, I will miss my teammates, my coaches and everything else

that helps to make SRJC softball the unforgettable experience that it is.” The Bear Cubs will head into next season with valuable experience from their last 40 games — a fact not lost on freshman shortstop Breanna Doane. While she admits the team didn’t advance as far this season as she had hoped, Doane is confident SRJC will take a big step forward next year and vie for a conference title. She spoke highly of the coaching staff. “I am so grateful for the coaches we had this year, I learned so much from them about how important it is to stay positive and to shake off our mistakes, which allows us to move forward and keep improving.” Doane said what she'll miss most about the graduating women is their attitude. “They had a passion for the game that spread to all the players," she said. "And they all had an amazing way of staying positive through the worst of our struggles; always there to pick up any teammate who was feeling down. I will miss them deeply next season.” SRJC bids farewell to Thomsen, Hannah Williams, Mariah Gabriel, Jennifer Martin, Rebecca Steiner and Rusti Foster. Though the resounding feeling among the tightknit team is that each of the graduating sophomores is irreplaceable, the team is confident in its ability to compete for a playoff spot next season.

To this day he doesn’t regret his decision. “He loves being out there with us and we love having him out there too,” said Bear Cubs pitcher Alec Rennard. Francois said, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I’ve been asked to go to other places [coach other teams], but this is the place for me.” Francois lost his leg due to a blood clot. He had noticed some discomfort in his leg after a friendly game of racquetball. The discomfort persisted for the next couple days and he decided to have it checked out. Sure enough, the doctor discovered clotting in his leg. Doctors performed a bypass and operated 12 more times in three months. Everything they tried failed. The doctor and Francois knew it was time to remove his leg. Francois believed he could get his life back with the use of prosthetics. “My goal in life was to walk with a cane for the rest of my life,” he said. In 2001, they removed Francois’ leg. He didn’t let this affect him. “I wanted the surgery to be completed as soon as it could be, so I could start the rehab quicker too,” he said. After an enormous amount of physical therapy, he began to walk again. Francois is a spirtual man and a big believer in the power of prayer. “I prayed not for him to save it, but to point me in the direction I need to go for the rest of my life,” he said. “I woke up on that day of surgery with a calmness and peace that I had never experienced before.” He believed God’s message was to not be afraid and that God would be with him every step of the way. “I didn’t feel any regret or remorse when I looked down and saw it was gone. I felt relief,

Joseph Barkoff/ OakLeaf

Tom Francois offers the young men of SRJC’s baseball team words of wisdom and encouragement before every game.

but I knew to get my life back it would be a lot of work,” Francois said. Francois started to notice results from his hard work and dedication to walk again with a prosthetic leg. He was even nominated to carry the Olympic Torch. “I was beginning to be accepted. I carried the torch in San Jose twotenths of a mile,” he said. He was asked to share his experiences with school children, churches, fellowships, service organizations, colleges and high schools. “I knew then what my purpose in life was,” Francois said. “It was to deliver a message of hope.” To this day Francois gives motivational speeches and does his best to inspire his friends, family, players and just about anyone that they can do anything they want to. “I have a great deal of respect for him [Francois], and I believe he helps bring everybody on the team close together,” Rennard said. “He is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.”