Monitor 2006-9-7

Trustee Yee goes to Iraq

‘Radical Reality’ at Ohlone

Freedom of press grows

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Fremont, California

Vol. XXXVII No. 2

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Life in a construction zone: scaffolds, noise, machines

By Matthew So Opinions editor Bond Measure A is responsible for the current construction and renovation projects taking place all around the main Ohlone College campus. It was originally passed March 5, 2002, and the specified projects for which the bond allocated funding for are still in the process of completion.

There are three projects concerning Measure A. Chiefly, there is the Ohlone College Newark Center, a new campus to be constructed in Newark, approximating grossly 135,000 square feet in size. $97 million has been allocated for this project. This new campus will in-

clude academic programs including business and technology, exercise science and wellness, health sciences, environmental sciences, and general education. The new campus will meet the needs of the growing influx of students. $15 million has been allotted for specific renovations and improvements on the main campus. These improvements include new roofing on buildings, beautification projects including new paint, waterproofing, and erosion control. Old heavy wooden doors will be replaced with newer doors made of lighter material, and wooden steps, which have been constantly deteriorating, will be replaced with concrete steps. Handrails will be repainted,

and new ADA ramps will be built for Buildings 4 and 6. Ohlone will also be receiving a touch-up of new paint on its buildings.

Finally, there is to be the construction of a Student Support Services Center on the main Fremont campus. The new building will occupy 76,000 square feet, and $35 million has been allocated for its construction. It will be built in the location of the existing Building 7. The new building will be a concentration of student service departments including, Admissions and Records, Counseling, Disabled Students Programs and Services, Financial Aid, and the Student Health Center. While under construction, Continued on Page 3

Applications for student government due Sept. 12

By Sabahat Adil Staff writer The Associated Students of Ohlone College will hold elections for seven Executive Office positions in October.

The ASOC is the student government council.

Its mission is to serve and represent the voice of the students, college administration and the community at Ohlone.

Applications/petitions for Executive Office positions and Senators are available now and are to be turned in by 5 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Campus Ac-

tivities/EOPS window in Building 1. Seven executive office positions are available that are the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Representative at Large, Legislative Representative and the Student Member of the Board of Trustees.

Applicants for the ASOC Executive Office positions need to be registered for at least nine units and must have and maintain a 2.75 GPA. The candidates for Executive Office must attend Candidate’s Information meeting on Sept. 7 at 2:30 p.m. in Room 8112. The elected will have one-year terms, will attend all ASOC meetings and be responsible for arranging and promotContinued on Page 6

Trustee Foster won’t run again

By MICHAEL ABURAS Staff writer After 20 dedicated years on the Ohlone Board of Trustees, Vice President Ruthe Foster has decided to retire. Foster will not run for reelection in November.

Foster said she sometimes has mixed feelings about her decision, but feels at her age, 83, it’s time to step down and give young people a chance. Foster has spent many

years backing Ohlone and said, “I am very proud of the college.”

Foster ran for the Board of Trustees after her husband, Ken Foster, a former Newark mayor, educator and board member passed away in 1986. The same year, Foster decided to run and was elected to the board. She was able to continue her husband’s legacy of making education a priority for Newark. One of the goals she worked toward was creating a place for higher educa-

tion in Newark.

In fact, establishing a permanent campus in Newark is what Mrs. Foster is most proud of - it took decades of work. “Her passion to bring a campus to Newark was a 10,” said Dave Smith, executive director of asset and enterprise management for Ohlone and mayor of Newark. In 2002, Bond Measure A was narrowly approved by voters. $150 million was awarded by the Continued on Page 6

Photo by Christa Meier Scaffolds, walkways, shadows form geometric patterns on Ohlone buildings during construction period.

The newly equipped classrooms include HH-115, HH-116, HH119, 2205, 4104B, 1402 and 1406, as well as some faculty and staff rooms. The computers in Hyman Hall and the labs are iMacs, said Vice President Jim Wright, and the PCs in 1402 and 1406 are MacBooks.

The Macs are part of a new line of personal computers released in January running Intel’s new

processor, the Intel Core Duo, said Director of College Relations Patrice Birkedahl. The Core Duo, in fact, is actually two processors in one chip, offering almost twice the computational power of a conventional chip in the same space.

As the PC’s fit the college’s wide range of technological needs, running the Mac OS X, Windows XP and Linux operating systems, the Board of Trustees decided to

approve Apple as a “sole source vendor.” Normally, the college must ask for three bids and take the lowest one, but the Board of Trustees felt that Apple was the only company whose product could fit their needs.

The purchase of the computers was initiated by Associate Vice President of Information Technology Ralph Kindred and President Doug Treadway. Treadway sent

Big influx of Macintosh computers for campus labs

By ERIC DORMAN Staff writer Tired of plugging away at that old SunRay or PC? Wish you could use something newer and faster?

Help is on the way in the form of 231 new Apple personal computers that Ohlone bought over the summer. These computers are scheduled to be in classrooms by the end of the week.

out a memorandum to the Board of Trustees on July 12, citing the need for new computers in the abovementioned classrooms because of the existing computers’ age - upwards of five years old.

The Board approved the purchase, which will cost the college about $432,000. $271,000 is being spent for the 127 computers in Hyman Hall and in Rooms 2205 and Continued on Page 6

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Opinion

monitor September 7, 2006

Associated Collegiate Press / National Scholastic Press Association All American 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Regional Pacemaker 1988 Journalism Association of Community Colleges First in General Excellence, Northern California Fall 1994 General Excellence Fall 2000 General Excellence Fall 2004

Editor in chief: Anna Nemchuk News editor: Omer Ahmed Opinion editor: Matthew So Features editor: Chen Lin Nick Zambrano Sports editor: Photo editor: Christa Meier Michael Aburas, Staff writers: Frankie Addiego, Sabahat Adil, Morgan Brinlee, Emily Burkett, Eric Dorman, Noah Levin, Jessica Losee Ad manager: Danelle Meyer Ad staff: Manika Casterline, Janelle Feliciano, Dulce Fernandez Adviser: Bill Parks Printer: F-P Press

Offices are located in Room 5310 on campus, 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont 945395884. Call (510) 659-6075. Fax: (510) 659-6076. E-mail: monitor@ohlone.cc.ca.us Opinions expressed in the Monitor are those of the respective authors and are not necessarily those of the staff, the college or the Associated Students of Ohlone College.

Unsigned editorials reflect the majority view of staff members. Advertising material is printed herein for informational purposes and is not to be construed as an expression of endorsement or verification of such commercial ventures by the staff or college.

The Monitor is funded by the district, by the Associated Students of Ohlone College, and through advertising revenue.

The Monitor is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, Journalism Association of Community Colleges, Community College Journalism Association, California Newspaper Publishers Association, College Media Advisers and Society of Newspaper Design.

Opinion

Freedom of press good for students?

By OMER AHMED News editor The first amendment to the constitution of the United States is, quite simply, a wonderful thing.

As long as we don’t say anything blatantly destructive or libelous, the powers that be will let us be, thanks to the freedom of the press and freedom of speech. At least, this is true most of the time. Until recently, student-run college newspapers in California did not enjoy the full privileges of the first amendment.

Previously, the level of protection

provided by the first amendment college newspapers was somewhat unclear. The assumption was that student papers were protected fully under the first amendment, except in cases of obvious libel, slander and obscenity. Basically, student papers were thought to be just like regular papers.

Ironically, laws were enacted in California guaranteeing freedom of the press for high school publications, whereas no such protection was expressly given to college publications. Everyone just assumed that college papers, such as the Ohlone Monitor were already

spoken for. Not so, it seemes.

When the student paper of the Governors State University in Illinois ran a number of articles criticizing school officials, the school halted printing and required that school administrators review all future articles before publication.

In the inevitable ensuing lawsuit, the Seventh Circuit Appeals Court ruled in favor of the school administration.

This is unfortunate news, as participation in the production of collegiate papers are the best training grounds one can have for a future in journalism. Nothing prepares you

for the real thing like practice, albeit it not being the ‘real thing’. This is why most school papers are setup to resemble a commercial paper as much as possible. Here at Ohlone even, the students are the ones who make the decisions about what gets published, who becomes an editor, and what format the paper follows.

The instructor is a respected advisor, not an administrative overlord.

Part of emulating a real paper is giving students real responsibility.

If a paper is censored or directly overseen by some outside administrator, responsibility is taken out of the hands of the students, who

need to learn to handle it. Learning ethical journalism without the necessary burden of responsibility is like trying to learn calculus without the necessary knowledge of basic math.

Our government has finally recognized this and, with as the signing into law of AB2581, school administrators, trustees and other officials are further prohibited from interfering with student papers. This will probably result in a number of public screw-ups on the students’ part, but that is how people learn, and schools should not hinder the learning process.

sold that truly chills the blood.

A recent report released by the Massachusetts Department of Health says that nicotine levels in U.S. cigarettes have risen about 10 percent since 1998, making it easier for people to become addicted and harder for smokers to quit.

From the 179 cigarette brands tested for the 2004 report, 93 percent were in the highest range for nicotine, compared to 84 percent of 116 brands tested in 1998, the Associated Press reported. Some brands most popular with youths - Marlboro, Camel, and Newport

- contain the highest levels of nicotine. The study also showed that there was no significant difference between “full flavor, “medium”, “light”, and “ultra-light” cigarettes, and also indicate that health-care providers need to adjust the strength of nicotine-replacement therapies to match the rise in nicotine levels.

This leaves a light smoker like me in a rather awkward position.

Already I am demonized by many of my peers for a habit that many, myself included, consider “bad”. I sit and wonder if I want to smoke a cigarette when I’m waiting between

classes because I genuinely would enjoy it, or because I’m “craving” a nicotine fix. And not being allowed to smoke on campus, I typically refrain from smoking at all till later in the day.

But whether or not addiction to smoking nicotine is bad shouldn’t be the issue. People of all cultures all over the world are addicted to one thing or another: TV, food, cars, music, sex, or coffee. These examples all feel good to one person or another, and therefore warrant repletion to keep the person happy.

These things (in most cases) are not as detrimental to one’s body as the affects of smoking cigarettes heavily. Not only should the cigarettes companies be ashamed for their ruthless advertising campaigns aimed directly at getting kids to start smoking earlier on, but the product that is hocked at America is, at this point, small doses of poison.

Tighter regulations need to be put on what goes into the cigarettes, in addition to controlling the marketing techniques of cigarettes companies.

Tobacco companies exploiting smokers

By NOAH LEVIN Staff writer

Like a sexual predator on the prowl, big tobacco companies seek to profit from and exploit young people by steadily increasing the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, thus making them all the more addictive. But it is not merely the addiction, so much as the combined forces of blatant capitalization off of said addiction and the terribly detrimental affects of the product being

Campus Comment > > >

Thoughts on smoking on campus?

CHELSEY BRODERICK Interpreting "I want to smoke on campus."

RYAN THEIN Computer Science "Smoking's bad."

TERRY THOMAS International Trade and Business "Give them a spot, some people don't like the smell."

CASSANDRA LUONTELA Interpreting "I'm allergic to smoke; please don't make my life miserable."

CAYLIN UYLA Interpreting "Just in designated spots; I have asthma."

September 7, 2006 MONITOR

News

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Students see construction up close and personal Continued from Page 1 the building will be sealed off during the removal of harmful asbestos, a cancer-causing agent used to coat ceilings.

When asked whether students would be relocated to other classrooms on the Fremont campus, Jim Wright, the vice president of Office of Instruction and Student Services at Ohlone College replied, “Yes, the classes that are currently in Building 7 will be moved to other buildings on the Fremont campus. One thing we have done to accommodate this is the conversion of two former administrative office areas on the fourth floor of Building 1 back to classrooms (their original use).

Those new classrooms are numbers 1402 and 1406.

“Also, classes in two former computer labs on the upper campus, 6104 and 6105, have been moved to Hyman Hall, so these two rooms can now become general purpose classrooms.”

The construction of the new building is scheduled to begin January of 2007 and to be completed in the summer of 2008.

What with all the construction and renovation going on, students are forced to make their way between classes, avoiding construction zones, and detouring past fenced-off areas.

Leslie Knecktel, a freshman for her first semester at Ohlone College, expressed her sentiments: “It’s a bit of a hassle having to go around the construction zones to get to my classes. The noise from the construction is irritating, too.”

The immediate area around building one smells of a mix of new paint, primer coating, and limestone, a mix of which smells faintly like mothballs.

Measure A was passed in 2002 as a plan to address the requests to refurbish parts of the main Fremont campus, as well as the addition of a new building and an entire new campus, to be located in Newark.

Measure A is listed as the Ohlone College Renovation and Improvement Measure, passed by the Fremont/Newark Community College District.

The proposal goes, “To allow Ohlone College to increase educational opportunities, raise student

At left, Plamen Pentchev sits in a protective tunnel workmen have constructed for students to use during construction in front of Building 1. Below left and right, construction equipment and debris form geometric patterns.

Photos by Christa Meier

achievement, improve health/safety conditions; acquire, construct, equip an Ohlone Newark Center/site for

academic, technology/nursing programs; construct Student Support Building at the Fremont Campus;

been shown to give them a better chance to succeed in school,” said Congressman Stark.

The state is seeking to rectify the lack of quality childcare by instituting programs similar to First 5 Association of California’s Proposition 10 and the upcoming Proposition 82. However, there is a distinct lack of qualified specialists.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, less than half of all home-based early childhood educators have obtained any education beyond high school. The work of Ohlone’s Early Childhood Studies department strives to improve this situation.

The ECS Department at Ohlone has met or exceeded all standards established by California Commission on Teacher

Credentialing and California Department of Social Services.

Through the offered courses and planned conference, Ohlone has established a record for releasing practiced professionals into the discipline.

The conference plans to cover a range of subjects. “Workshop topics include: science, math, literacy, music curriculum, multiple intelligence, diversity, CD permit application, developmentally appropriate practice, taking care of the personal and professional self, and more,” said the Ohlone Office of College Relations in a press release.

The conference is set to take place Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ohlone Kidango Child Development Center.

Admission is $40.

Pete Stark to speak at Ohlone

By EMILY BURKETT Staff writer Ohlone will host the annual Early Care and Education Conference this October aimed at students in the Early Childhood Studies (ECS) programs on Oct. 29.

The conference will feature several renowned speakers, including California Congressman Pete Stark, Democrat, of the 13th District and ECS Professor Dr. Janice Jones.

Part of a statewide movement to promote early childhood care, the conference seeks to improve the quality of professionals entering the field.

“Providing high quality early childhood education opportunities to children in the years leading up to kindergarten has

renovate classrooms and buildings, upgrade and equip computer labs, libraries, science labs, and classrooms; shall Fremont-Newark Community College District issue $150,000,000 of bonds at legal interest rates, appoint a Citizens’ Oversight Committee, require annual audits, with no money for administrators’ salaries?”

The vote turnout came to be in

favor of the proposal.

Several projects, such as new roofing and a new gym floor have already been finished.

The construction and renovation work continues into the school year and students will have to live with avoiding the fenced-off construction areas and the noise of the changes taking place around them.

Brown Bag on Friday

By OMER AHMED News editor Ohlone will present its first Brown Bag science seminar of the new school year tomorrow, Sept. 8.

For the event, Ohlone Geology instructor Steven Newton will speak on the topic of “Geologic Hazards Facing Ohlone College.”

His speech will focus on what has been learned about seismic activity of the ground underneath Ohlone College and wither we are ready for potential disasters.

Ohlone is situated near the Newark Fault and directly on the Mission Fault.

The Math, Science and Technology Division of Ohlone sponsor the Brown Bag series of seminars. Funding is provided by a grant from the Associated Students of Ohlone College (ASOC).

The event will be in Room 3201 from 1 to 2 p.m. Admittance is free of charge and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. The speaker will talk for approximately 45 minutes and afterwards will be a question and answer session.

Future seminars will be announced on the Ohlone website.

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Features

monitor September 7, 2006

Devil’s Advocate

By Anna Nemchuk Editor-in-chief

Ohlone the Ugly Duckling In high school, I looked down at Ohlone. Coming from the academically torturous Mission San Jose High, it was considered shameful at best to end up here, a dead end, a last ditch resort to working at a taco stand. Junior year, my GPA shall not be published due to my having some sense of decency, suffice it to state it was somewhat on the nonexistent side of things.

I didn't hate school, I did dislike MSJHS, I hated busywork. To be fair, that spilled over into not liking any work. I tended to pass tests with flying colors - my SAT scores were phenomenal - but grades were a different matter. To have enough units to graduate, I needed to make up a math and a history course during the summer. I came to Ohlone, cringing all the way.

I loved it. Imagine - students that actually wanted to be in school! Class time spent in heated debate over the sociological ramifications of the Civil War instead of griping about late projects, unexcused absences, and inappropriate headwear. These were classes of less than 25 people!

Everyone was treated as an adult, and explanations for anything from lateness to potty breaks were not only not required but actually discouraged. At 17 years of age, this was a heady experience.

I dropped out of those classes, and then out of high school in general. (Fun as they were, the sudden freedom of attendance was a little too much at first.) Senior year was spent working part-time, then loafing around with a giddiness only someone who's spent the last 11 years of life with a structured schedule five days a week, nine months a year can appreciate.

I became bored. To tears. I went back to Ohlone.

This time, I actually started staying in classes. For the next two years, I worked full-time and attended Ohlone, with varying degrees of academic accomplishment. I dropped classes, but I also learned how to deal with college, how to pick effective instructors, and how to effectively study.

I grew up. And I didn't spend $20,000 a year doing it.

Among higher education, it is my sincere opinion that community colleges are just what the doctor ordered. There are those shining examples of virtue that cruise through high school with As, obtain PhDs at 25, buy houses in Milan at 30 and die of a heart attack at 43 and they are to be commended, never mind pitied.

The rest of us need a little more time to learn how to balance life with trivia such as a job, education and other negligent responsibilities. Leafy, rambling Ohlone with its capricious fountains and overworked administration is a haven for such souls.

And that, teacher, is what I love about Ohlone.

Trustee Yee serving with army in Iraq

By MORGAN BRINLEE Staff writer As a member of the Ohlone College Board of Trustees, your day would not normally include 14 long hours of work, frequent travel around Iraq and living in military barracks. Except if you're Garrett Yee. Although Yee is currently stationed in Iraq, he is also a member of the Ohlone College Board of Trustees.

Currently, Yee is stationed at Camp Victory, which is near the Baghdad International Airport. He works for an army-run organization known as the Center for Army Lessons Learned.

“Part of my job in Iraq is to collect lessons learned from Army units in Iraq and share these insights,

observations...So far, it has required frequent travel throughout Iraq, both by ground and air. Another aspect of the job is to help units back in the US that are getting ready to come out here to Iraq,” said Yee. After returning from work in Fort Bliss, Texas in April of 2006, Yee was able to spend only a short time with his family before receiving orders of deployment to Iraq.

On July 11, he trained at both Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and Fort Bliss before leaving for Iraq on July 25.

While his assignment in Iraq does not require him to spend time fighting on the front lines, he wishes us all to remember that “Iraq is still a dangerous place and every day we have brave men and women serving our country in a very austere and harsh environment.”

Yee’s military career began

when he attended Santa Clara University and joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

Upon graduating in 1987, Yee was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserve.

“I have always felt a sense of duty to serve our country. From a young age, I realized that what we have as freedoms, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, is a direct result of our nation’s ability to protect and defend herself against enemies, both foreign and domestic. Our military helps to protect the rights of those that may have opinions that I don’t agree with, but that’s okay,” Yee said when questioned on his choice to join the military.

Back home, Yee works as a manager at the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California while also raising three

children with his wife.

“I miss my wife, Maria, a whole bunch and I can’t wait to get back to see her and get back to a somewhat regular life. It has been a long time, and I have missed time with my kids that I will not be able to recapture,” Yee said.

Yee hopes to return to California some time in Jan. 2007 and be able to resume his board duties in time for the Spring Semester.

“The positive support that I have received from the college has been more than [I] expected. I just want to say thank you to Ohlone for the continued support,” Yee said.

Yee also plans to run for a second term this November. So far, it appears that he will be running unopposed, although he has said that he would have no objection to having to campaign from Iraq.

Ex-Ohlone student launches news site

By Emily Burkett Staff writer Former Ohlone student Barry Shatzman has unveiled his new website - Newbor.com.

The site isn’t what you'd expect.

By combining news and community information, Newbor seeks to deliver the information citizens need to know and connect them to their community and government.

The site, which went online last week, offers everything from school schedules to information on the avian flu.

In the works for almost a year, Newbor is the manifestation of Shatzman’s ambition to change the world.

“I always knew I wanted to do something different,” Shatzman said.

Newbor has a unique interface.

By selecting a town from the drop down menu, Newbor automatically shows the news pertinent to the community. It highlights sights and activities, logs all community events, and keeps an ongoing guide to locally owned restaurants.

In addition to its many other merits, Newbor also features an unusually accessible interface. The site was designed for ease of use.

In addition, Newbor has community networking features. After registering with the site, users are given the opportunity to present their own thoughts with special

sections for high school students to communicate their own concerns or events.

Businesses are also given the opportunity to advertise on the site.

The idea is for Newbor to make enough income from advertisements to pay for itself, but Shatzman has strict standards for businesses.

All businesses promoted on Newbor must be locally owned.

This eliminates the competition stemming from popular corporate businesses that have had a strangling effect on the independent, familyowned stores.

Barry Shatzman didn’t just walk away from college with this idea. It took an A.A. in Journalism, working on The Monitor as a staff writer,

news editor, and editor in chief, an internship and one and a half years at The Argus before he found his calling. Supportive staff at Ohlone and great personal ambition focused Shatzman on his goal.

"There were a lot of false starts,” he said.

Creating a site so elaborate in scope took work and drive.

Shatzman's goal was to change the world; his method was to change the face of media even if it meant having to invent a new form of media.

“I don’t think the media is doing a good job of communicating what’s going on,” explained Shatzman.

This site is his way of showing what the media should be doing: telling people what is relevant to them.

predict a favorable outcome, much less an actual dollar amount.

Trolling neighboring bookshops like Fremont’s Half Price Books and Moe’s Books in Berkeley is a recourse many try yet few succeed in. Chances are, by the time a particular student has thought of it, a couple of dozen others have already attempted it. Nevertheless, lightning does strike and the search is always worth it; people entering bookstores tend to come out better educated at the end, however unintentionally.

Grabbing phone numbers off Ohlone’s bulletin boards and taking one’s chances with someone’s else’s used books is a good concept in principle, with major possibilities of iffy results. And again, it presumes the books haven’t already been swiped by someone else.

Acquiring one’s tomes online is currently the method most rapidly growing in popularity. Sites like Ebay.com, Alibris.com, Half.com and Amazon.com offer new and used books sold by individuals as well as businesses at prices that veer from the absurdly exorbitant to the incredibly thrifty. But shipping costs and times, inventory mistakes and the unknown condition of the items must be factored in. Then there’s the problem of discovering exactly the book one needs.

Almost all texts these days have a unique 10-digit ISBN (International Standard Book Number) printed either on the lower part of the back

cover or in varying locations on the copyright page. The ISBN is by far the simplest way to identify a specific book, as with abounding multiple editions and the use of similar titles by different authors, pinpointing the correct text sometimes seems easier to do blindfolded.

Because by the time one’s professor hands out the syllabus with the appropriate ISBNs hopefully neatly printed at the top, many websites are unable to ship the books fast enough without charging more for shipping than the actual order, it is highly preferable to figure it out before classes begin, the sooner the better. Emailing the teacher is probably a fairly fool-proof way; they’ll appreciate students’ eagerness to learn and if they don’t know what textbook they’ll be using, no one does.Accessing the Ohlone bookstore online requires some guess and check, as the information provided there is minimal.

Arriving there in person and jotting down the ISBNs is a viable alternative, though the numbers are no longer being actively printed on the shelf labels for exactly this reason and, as one employee commented, “because everyone needs to make a living.” The ethics of the store aside, the exact title, author and edition of the textbook is still likely to yield good results online, though as the bookstore receives the next semester’s materials rather late and is not always the paragon of neatness

to put it mildly, the issue of shipping times comes up once more.

What about older editions?

Teachers are poor people, mostly, so they tend to sympathize with students, who are generally also not drinking champagne from jewel-encrusted goblets. Though it depends on the instructor and the course, a very large percentage of the time they are agreeable with students’ using a preceding edition of the current textbook and will work with and around it if pleaded with. However, if the book is the first edition, one’s pretty much up the creek.

It will behoove students to also keep in mind the differences that succeeding editions will contain; though unlikely to be many, they are periodically substantial in nature, as the complete rearrangement of chapter order and/or altered exercises. One’s professor may very well have copies of prior publications and in that case can assist with any confusion. In other words, utilizing out-dated printings is a great recourse as long as one is fine with a bit more work; they will also tend to ship faster and more reliably than more in-demand works, the owners being desperate to rid themselves of the unneeded merchandise.

Getting through college is a task that is both honorable and often unfortunately expensive, but there are ways to be smart about it. Pardon the pun.

Affordable textbooks - fact or fiction?

By ANNA NEMCHUK Editor-in-chief

The first thing students dread at the start of a new semester is not getting the classes they want. If obliged, they rejoice at their luck and skip cheerily off to collect the necessary course materials. That’s when the real shrieking commences - textbook prices.

Presently, Ohlone charges $26 per unit, so the average class runs about as much as a pricey dinner out. Occasionally, the required texts will total twice as much. More often, especially for technical courses, the price tag is much higher. For a full-time student, $400 worth of books per semester is de rigueur these days.

What are the options? The campus bookstore is the obvious choice for many. The campus bookstore, of course, charges an arm and a leg for books, often bumping new books above the original publisher’s suggested retail price. Unless the pupil in question has just moved to Timbuktu and is only taking online classes, the place is conveniently located; students aren’t likely to find a quicker way to obtain the required books and the shelves are conveniently labeled with all the needed texts for each class.

They can also try to sell their texts back at the end of the semester, though the level of success is dependant on too many factors to reliably

Features/News

September 7, 2006 monitor

5

'Radical Reality' motivates with physical prowess

By Noah Levin Staff writer A motivational speech hosted by Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS) was given on Wednesday in front of the pond at the Fremont Ohlone campus.

After a brief introduction by EOPS, two muscular men in black jeans and t-shirts came up to speak.

These men were Joey and Terry of Radical Reality, a Stockton-based group of motivational speakers that travel the country delivering speeches at junior highs, high schools and colleges.

Radical Reality stands out from other similar motivational programs in that its speakers use “Feats of Strength” to exemplify their core philosophy - that one can overcome the pressures and hardships of youth through perseverance and strength of will.

The group uses these feats to grab the attention of the audience, showing off their athletic prowess

to show that inner strength is what allowed them to overcome problems such as gang involvement and drug addiction.

Radical Reality’s “Feats of Strength” involve the speakers breaking baseball bats, tearing thick objects in half, and breaking ice blocks and boards with their heads.

“Whatever your mind conceives, and your heart believes, you then can achieve,” said Joey “Steelman,” principal speaker at the presentation.

Joey had dropped out of junior high school and was involved in gang activity. However, he received his GED at the age of 22 and attended college.

The core message given by Radical Reality is that young people should never give up on their dreams.

“The Feats of Strength is just a hook - a tool - to get young people’s attention," said Joey. "The idea is to incorporate the Feats of Strength

into the walls that life puts up in front of you. That if you break through those walls, and never quit, you will win, and achieve your goals.”

Joey also stated, toward the end of his speech, that God helped him through the harder parts of his life and then informed his audience that Radical Reality would be appearing at a local church in Milpitas and welcomed all to come.

Radical Reality, however, is not expressly a Christian group, and EOPS is not affiliated with any religious program.

Members of EOPS who attended the speech found it to be very inspirational. EOPS is a program created to help low-income or educationally disadvantaged students achieve their educational or vocational goals.

The program also offers financial aid, tours of the campus, academic advisory, workshops on life skills and updates on welfare reform. For more information about EOPS, contact them at EOPS@ohlone.edu.

Joey "Steelman" was the principal speaker at Radical Reality Wednesday.

Online classes provide educational convenience

By DANELLE MEYER Staff writer For some it’s a way to multitask,for others it’s a way to sustain their current lives. But no matter what the reason may be, it’s no doubt that online classes are growing in popularity despite the drawbacks.

With over 90 courses available to students this fall that are fully online, the community has grown indefinitely. Courses range from Principles of Economics and Introduction to Business to classes like English 101A and Computer Applications.

Students choose online classes for a variety of reasons, including things like being able to stay at home and being able to work at their own pace. Online courses are also mobile and teachers sometimes

set up the class so that students can work ahead if they want.

“I chose an online class because the regular class had been canceled and I needed it to fullfill my requirement as soon as possible,” said student Xiaoyu Chen.

“I chose to take online classes because I work 40 hours a week and I’m a full-time single mother,” said Laurena Yarbrough.

The waitlist numbers have been increasing for teachers as more students decide to take Web classes.

“I would say it is a three-sided story...students have more experience in taking online classes...faculty has more experience in teaching... [and] administration has more experience to provide an accessible, stable WebCT environment,” said Professor Young Gao. Like students, teachers also have

a variety of motives as to why they decide to offer online classes.

“Online learning encourages collaborative and exploratory learning environments...it encourages more student to student interaction, it is accessible any time and it is more cost-effective for the students,” said Professor Rick Arellano.

“I don’t want to be at a particular place at a particular time: the students and I can access the course according to our respective schedule,” explains Professor Marge Segraves.

But just like any other aspect in life, online classes do have their drawbacks, like lack of face-to-face interaction.

“Finding information is not always easy [online],” said one student, Shreya Gopal.

“I don’t have the live feedback

kind of program, dual enrollment has been going on for quite some time in colleges all over the country, particularly in California.

“This is part of a national movement to get high schoolers involved in college,” said Ohlone’s Vice President of Instruction Jim Wright. “It’s to meet the needs of high school students who would like to try something different their senior year.”

College President Doug Treadway set the program in motion at Ohlone, Wright said, by sending out notices to high schools in the Fremont, Newark and New Haven school districts. Of the three districts, only Newark moved fast enough to get the program running in time.

Newark Memorial High School contacted its students at the end of April; in May, interested juniors were asked to submit applications, along with essays and teacher recommendations, said Lucero.

The applications were collected in July and Newark Memorial selected 25 students to take part in the program.

Will the program expand?

Definitely, said Wright. He cited one school in particular, James Logan High in Fremont, that had expressed interest in the program and would likely send some students to Ohlone next year.

“I think that now that we have a model in place, it will lend itself to expansion,” said Wright.

The idea for the project, Wright said, came from Shasta college, where Treadway formerly worked.

Shasta now has over 120 high school students and ten teachers in the program. This prompted Treadway to try the program at Ohlone. It wasn’t until two years later, though, that the program finally got off the ground.

Some students involved in the program who did not provide their last names also reflected on their experience.

“I guess I expected more,” said Ann. “Still, it’s pretty good.”

“High school is all about fights and dramas and girls and stuff,” said Melinda, “The students here are more mature.”

“It’s been a great experience for us,” said Sanchez.

High schoolers attend Ohlone

By ERIC DORMAN Staff writer They look like a regular high school class with books out, pencils down and students joking with each other in English and Spanish.

However, these high school students are hardly typical because every afternoon they go out and take college courses.

“It’s a great opportunity,” said Javier Sanchez, one of the 25 seniors from Newark Memorial High School who are taking part in the College Connection High School/College Joint Enrollment program. “It gives you a chance to get college credits while you’re still in high school.”

The class is at Ohlone all day. In the morning, they take high school classes such as American Government and World Mythology from Newark Memorial teacher Jackie Lacero. In the afternoon, they take whatever college classes they want, ranging from English courses and Psychology to History of Rock and Roll.

Although this is the first year that Ohlone has implemented this

from the instructor and I can’t get the answers to my questions fast,” said another, Lwin Ye. And just as regular classes have their difficulties for teachers, so do online courses. “I, personally, don’t like to teach online classes because they are a lot of work, very time consuming and emailing as the main way of communication is not my thing. I enjoy the personal contact with my students and I am much better in the classroom than I would be online.”

“A friend of mine took an online real estate class offered at a real state school, and although she passed it, she doesn’t feel as if she knows anything,” explained Professor Carmen Madden.

The form of teaching and learning for online classes is completely different than regular classes, there-

fore making web courses not the best of choices for everyone. It takes a certain personality to benefit heavily from the online experience. “To succeed in an online environment one needs to be a self-motivated person,” said Arellano.

“Online classes are not for everyone. Some students do better with face-to-face teaching, while others excel in online classes...In some ways, it’s easier to teach online than in the classroom - I don’t have to get up in front of the class and ‘present’ - but, on the other hand, I have to present information in written form, which can be difficult,” explained Segraves.

Either way, most teachers and students that partake in the online environment enjoy the set-up and end up teaching or taking more online classes.

Staff receives raises

By FRANKIE ADDIEGO Staff writer Recently, the Ohlone College Board of Trustees voted to approve a five percent pay raise for the college’s employees, most notably President and Superintendent Dr. Doug Treadway, which increased his salary from $185,993 per year to $195,293 per year.

Treadway’s salary remains consistent with those of other community colleges in the Bay Area. According to Chabot College, their president, Dr. Robert Carlson, makes $180,664 per year.

Likewise, Delta College’s salary for a president/superintendent is $189,880 to $191,934 per year, depending on the education level of the person holding the position.

Every employee of Ohlone College received a five percent increase. “I got the same as everybody else,” Treadway said.

Treadway also told the Monitor that some of it is supplemental, “8,500 out of that is for my benefits,” he said.

As it stands, a nursing instructor can receive anywhere between $49,384 and $98,181, a counselor at Ohlone makes anywhere in the range of $57,025 and $113,901, and an Informations Systems Technologist’s compensation can make from $6,143 to $7,817 per month.

Whether or not this boost in salary increases the faculty’s productivity or leads to the decrease of funding for significant programs remains to be seen.

One must note as well, however, that salary increases and pay raises in general are necessary from time to time to accomodate the economy's inflation trends.

6 MONITOR

News

September 7, 2006

Dancers to kick off exchange program with China

By CHEN LIN Features editor More international student exchange events, including a performance by dancers from the Shanghai Theatre Academy in Smith Center this November, can be expected to come next year, according to Ohlone President Doug Treadway.

The Shanghai dance troupe was invited to perform at Ohlone during an exchange visit last summer by a combined student and staff delegation of 12. Their visit included stays at three Chinese colleges and several popular tourist destinations.

Widely recognized as one of China’s most prestigious schools of dance and theater, The Shanghai Theatre Academy was the Ohlone delegation’s first destination last summer. There, the delegation was treated to an exclusive performance by the Shanghai Theatre Academy’s

Macintosh computers Continued from Page 1 4104B, which are on a lease from Apple. $160,000 is going toward the purchase of the 104 other computers.

The Hyman Hall computers are being paid for by the Hyman Hall Endowment Fund and the others are financed by bonds.

The new Macs are part of a larger push forward for Ohlone to become a more tech-savvy university, said Associate Vice President of Information Technology Ralph Kindred. He pointed out that now the entire upper campus is rigged for free wireless access, and that the college is moving toward becoming an iTunes University, meaning that students may soon be able to download lectures onto their iPods. In addition, Rooms 1402 and 1406 have been completely renovated, with both rooms now featuring wireless Internet access, three presentation screens, threeinch plasma multimedia stations, new smart classroom equipment, and furniture designed for student comfort and mobility, not to mention the 80 new MacBooks the rooms are receiving.

“There have been a lot of technological advances at Ohlone this summer,” said Birkedahl.

Those students eager to see a replacement for the SunRays in the library and in the English Learning Center of Hyman Hall may have to wait a little longer. None of the new Macs is headed to either place, said Kindred.

“We’re looking into it, though,” he noted.

Kindred also commented that any further computers the college buys would not necessarily be Macs; he said that if Windows computers better fit their needs, they would use those.

“We want to use the appropriate technology in the appropriate areas,” he added.

Overall, Birkendahl said, the future looks bright for Ohlone tech-lovers.

“It’s the start of a lot of great new changes for Ohlone College, in terms of technology,” said Birkendahl.

dance students.

A mixture of classical and modern Chinese dance, the performance impressed student assistant Renee Gonzales.

“There was a couple of us almost moved to tears watching them perform,” she said.

Members of the delegation invited the Shanghai Theatre Academy to perform on the Ohlone campus.

The dancers accepted.

As many as 26 dancers are expected to perform a variety of Chinese classical and folk dance.

Originally scheduled for Oct., the Shanghai Theater delegation’s performance was delayed tentatively until Nov. 16, due largely to complications in applying for American visas.

In reply to the Shanghai Theater Academy’s visit, an Ohlone dance troupe of 20 led by instructor Janel Tomblin-Brown will perform in Shanghai next May. “We are all very excited about

touring to China,” said TomblinBrown.

Tomblin-Brown has not completed recruitment of dancers for next year’s trip. However, members of the troupe can be expected to present a variety of different styles of dance.

“I think it is important to represent Ohlone’s diverse dance population, which would include styles ranging from tap to break dance,” she said.

Among other exchange programs under negotiation include a plan to contract DeVry University dorms for rent to students from China.

When negotiations for it are completed, students in this program will study at Ohlone until they can transfer to a four-year university and complete their education, said Xisheng Fang, a coordinator for the China exchange program. As many as 20 students from China are expected to participate, tentatively beginning next January.

World Forum Sept. 26 to be on immigration

By FRANKIE ADDIEGO Staff writer On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Ohlone College will hold its first World Forum of the Fall 2006 semester.

El Lic. Maria y Campos, the Consul General of Mexico in San Francisco will speak. The event will be held in the Jackson theatre between noon and 2 p.m.

The main topic of discussion will be relations between the U.S. and Mexico, with a focus on immigration. According to Ohlone President and Superintendent Doug Treadway, “He’s going to talk about [the immigration issue] from the Mexican perspective.”

Asked whether the discussion about immigration would key in on legal or illegal immigration, Treadway said, “I think it’ll be both... the better Mexico does with its wages...the less incentive people will have to come here illegally.”

The issue of immigration is one of much debate right now. Over the weekend, protests and “shows of force” took place in San Francisco, Oakland and San José. Some marchers were there to voice their support for open immigration, while others pressed Congress to enforce border laws. These topics are likely to come up in the World Forum, especially during the questions and answers period.

El Lic. Maria y Campos has been working in government services in Mexico since 1985. According to his biography, available on Ohlone’s website, he served as Commissioner of the National Council on arts and Culture from 1994-2000. Following that, he acted as Director General of North America before he was appointed to his current post by Mexico’s president Vicente Fox. The event will be held on from noon until 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26 in the Jackson Theatre, located within the Gary Soren Smith Center.

The decision to hold the affair in the Jackson Theatre moves the World Forum away from its usual home in Building 9.

As part of a separate delegation last summer, Director of Television Operations Gary Kauf visited China to help establish contract education programs with schools there.

When negotiations are completed, Fine Arts and Broadcasting instructor Pilar Lewis will teach U.S. certified courses in Multimedia and Television at Shanghai Arts and Crafts College. Her stay is scheduled tentatively to begin at the end of May and end one month later.

Meanwhile, her courses will be supplemented by distance learning provided online by Ohlone.

Additional staff exchange programs with sister universities in China have completed negotiation, but no teachers have been assigned yet to the program, according to Treadway. When the program becomes operational, Ohlone instructors in China will offer courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) and international trade.

In addition, Ohlone is working

to establish exchange and studyabroad programs with schools in Mexico and India.

In January, a delegation will visit India to help form partnerships with schools there, according to Treadway. He did not state what campuses exactly will be approached.

Discussion is currently in place with a campus in Mexico City to teach Ohlone-sponsored courses there. The campus is operated by the U.S. accredited Alliant International University.

Treadway hopes to eventually integrate Ohlone’s exchange programs with Fremont’s sister cities program. Of Fremont’s five sister cities, the two most likely to be approached by Ohlone are Jaipur, India and Puerto Penasco, Mexico.

“In the long term, I’d like to have ... at least one college in each of the three countries. [China, India and Mexico,] and tie that in with the Fremont sister cities program.”

ASOC sets elections Continued from Page 1 ing activities on campus.

Candidates for Senators also must attend a Senator Information Meeting before turning in their application. The meeting is on Sept.

7 at 2 p.m. in Room 8112.

Along with attending the meeting, all candidates must be enrolled in at least six units, have a minimum 2.25 GPA and obtain at least 50 signatures from eligible students.

The candidate speeches will be on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Quad. The ASOC Elections will be Oct. 3 and 4; winners will be announced late Oct. 4.

The ASOC also arranges activities and events throughout the year like the Transfer Day on Sept. 19 and the Constitution Day on Sept.

20, where the ASOC celebrates the creation of the Constitution in an

effort to inform students of what it means to the United States.

The first ASOC meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 4-6 p.m. in Room 5301.

Ruthe Foster Continued from Page 1 bond - $100 million was specifically set aside for the construction of the Newark campus. “My final dream is for the campus in Newark, having taught here (in Newark) for many, many years,” said Foster.

Since the age of 4, Foster knew she wanted to become a teacher. She was raised by her father, a science teacher of 30 years. She attended Auborn Junior College and finished her education at San Jose State.

Foster taught seventh and eighth grades at MD Silva and has spent 30 years in education.

Campus Events able now.

September 7 New Art Show -- "Violence Against Women, Women Against Violence."

This Northern California Women's Caucus for Art theme show is ongoing and has been seen at many different venues. At each place, more artists join and new submissions are added. It will be displayed in the Louie Meager Art Gallery and can be seen Mon. - Fri. Noon -3 p.m., and Wed. evenings by appointment. The show ends on Oct. 10 and admission is free.

8 Brown Bag Science Seminar -- 1 to 2 p.m., in Room 3201. Come discover what geologists have learned about earthquakes, faults and seismic activity beneath Ohlone. Sponsored by the Math, Science and Technology Department and ASOC, this event will include speaker Steve Newton. This event will also include refreshments and is free.

8 Men's Soccer -- 4 p.m. vs. City College of San Francisco here at Ohlone.

9 Ohlone College Super Flea Market -- 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., held in parking lots E and H. Parking is $2 per vehicle and admission is free. Flea market includes many vendors selling a variety of products such as jewelry, tools, household supplies, gift items, cosmetics, collectibles and much more.

9-10 Hands Around the Lake -- 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., on Sat., and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Sun., at Lake Elizabeth. This event will include a variety of displays, events and entertainment showcasing Fremont as we celebrate Fremont's 50th anniversary. A total of 3,500 people will be needed to ring the shoreline of Lake Elizabeth. This event is free.

10 Last Day to Add Classes -- all day. Last day to add semester length classes with instructor's signature.

14 Women's Water Polo -- 3:30 p.m. vs. San Joaquin Delta College here at Ohlone.

15 Men's Soccer -- 4 p.m. vs. Mission College here at Ohlone.

16 Step back into the 1940's -- "Tracks to the past," from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., in Sunol. Step back in time as the 1940's era comes alive. Day includes a Scenic Niles Canyon Railway train ride, vintage cars on display, music entertainment, food and more. Admission to the park is free.

to City College here at Ohlone.

26 World Forum -- Noon - 2 p.m., in the Smith Center. Special speaker El Lic. Maria y Compos, will talk about immigration and U.S. and Mexico Relations. He has been in government service since 1985 in Mexico over Foreign Relations. This event is free.

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Hospitality STAFF - Experienced part time waitstaff, bartenders & cooks wanted in the East Bay & South Bay. Flexible schedule. Interesting work.

Great locations. Won’t interfere with your study time! Email: Steelec@partystaff.com or call Steele at (925) 746-0506 Earn MONEY -- Earn $800-$3200 monthly to drive cars with ads placed on them. www.DriveAd-

September 7, 2006 monitor

7

Cars.com.

HAPPY FISH Swim School -- Seeking smart, friendly swim instructors to work with children & adults. Indoor heated pool open 7 days a week.

Pays $9.00/hr-$12.00/hr DOE. Part Time Availability, Fun Environment, & Friendly People. Flexible/Steady schedule works well with school schedule.

Print application at www.

SwimHappyFish.com.

18 Annual Golf Tournament -- celebrating Ohlone's 40th anniversary.

Proceeds will benefit the Ohlone athletics program.

Registration begins at 11 a.m. Tee-off stars at 12:15 p.m. Registration fee is $225 for each individual or $900 for a golf foursome. Registration includes green fees, cart, lunch, dinner, awards and prizes. Tournament located at 707 Country Club Circle, Pleasanton. Call (925) 846-2871 for more information.

19 Transfer Day -- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in lobby of Building 1. This is an opportunity for students to visit with representatives from 4-year colleges and universities, and learn more about the options available. This event is free.

20 Men's Soccer -- 4 p.m. vs. Yuba College here at Ohlone.

22 Last Day to Petition to Complete Classes -- all day. Last day to petition to complete classes on credit/ no credit basis.

22-23 Men's Water Polo -- 8 a.m., here at pool is the Ohlone College Tournament.

29 Women's Water Polo -- 2 p.m. vs. Sacramen-

10 Last Day to Drop Without "W" -- all day.

Last day to drop semester length classes without receiving a "W" grade.

12 Deadline for ASOC Election Applications -by 5 p.m., at the Campus Activities window. ASOC Senator and Executive Office applications are avail-

Read the Monitor Online at http://ohlone.edu/org/monitor

The Monitor invites your comments. Letters should be 250 words or less and include your name and relationship to Ohlone. Letters become property of The Monitor and may be edited for spelling and length. Campus Events listings are free for college-related events.

To have your event added or to place an ad, contact Danelle Meyer at (510) 659-6075 or e-mail monitorads@ohlone.edu

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Page 8

Women’s polo squad looks for a repeat

By Morgan Brinlee Staff writer Last fall Ohlone’s very own Women’s Water Polo team took the Coast Conference by storm and brought home the title of Coast Conference Champions. This season, Head Coach Don French and Assistant Coach Gene Kendall the IV, are being quick to get down to business.

With a roster of 14 the team will be comprised of many returning players as well as quite a few new faces. The standout player from last year’s squad, Erin Morgan, is not expected to return to the team this year.

However, both French and Kendall are confident that there are multiple girls capable of replacing Morgan as star players. “Jennifer Galam and Tracy Robertson could easily fill the shoes of Erin Morgan,” French said. Kendall went on to add “I think Robertson has the potential to be our leading scorer; she has a lot more experience playing club polo than the other girls.”

New additions to the team have also created quite an impression with the coaches. Katie O’Dea and Emilie Rivard are listed as being two new players to watch this season. Freshman Danielle McDowell has also been singled out for her exceptional strength in shooting and scoring.

This season, the team’s main focus is to once again place as Coast Conference champs.

But that is not the only goal for French and Kendall. “We want our kids to learn to play polo at a much higher level than even they expected themselves. We want them to play like a division three level team,” said French.

Furthermore, French also hopes to develop some of the girls into water polo coaches themselves. “There are not enough women coaches in high schools and I’d love for these girls to start stepping up into that role,” French said.

This year, the team expects there to be five standout teams in the Coast Conference serving as their main competitors, a definitive increase from last two years. “There is a lot of equity this year in the conference so the teams will be more even.” French said. “I think we have a good shot to repeat as conference champions, but it depends on how aggressive the girls play.”

Both French and Kendall have already taken into consideration the added competition

this year when planning practices. “We have to step it up with our practices,” said Kendall. French plans on giving the team every opportunity to play as much as possible this season. Official rules state that only 21 contacts, or games and tournaments, are allowed per season and French has scheduled 20 for the women’s water polo team. “We’re playing the heck out of these kids,” French exclaimed.

Friday, Sept. 8 will be the team’s first chance to show off their stuff at the Cuesta College Tournament in San Luis Obispo, but no time has been set. Support is always appreciated.

Women’s polo schedule Tuesday 9/12/06 Merced & Modesto Junior College At Merced Noon Thursday 9/14/06 San Joaquin Delta College Ohlone College 3:30 P.M. Fri.-Sat. 9/15-9/16/06 West Valley Tournament At Saratoga All Day Thursday 9/21/06 Cabrillo College At Aptos 4:00 P.M. Saturday 9/23/06 American River Tournament T.B.A. All Day Friday 9/29/06 Sacramento City College Ohlone College All Day

Renegades’ fall sports home schedule Men’s Water Polo: Fri.-Sat. 9/22-9/23/06 Ohlone College Tournament 8:00 a.m.

Wednesday 10/18/06 DeAnza College 4:00 p.m.

Friday 10/20/06 Chabot College 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday 10/25/06 West Valley College 4:00 p.m.

Friday 10/27/06 Foothill College 3:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: Friday 9/8/06 City College of SF 4:00 p.m.

Friday 9/15/06 Mission College 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday 9/20/06 Yuba College 4:00 p.m.

Friday 9/26/06 Evergreen Valley 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday 10/3/06 Chabot College 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday

10/17/06

Hartnell College 4:00 p.m.

Friday 10/20/06 West Valley College 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday 10/31/06 Skyline College 3:00 p.m.

Friday 11/3/06 Las Positas College 3:00 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: Tuesday 10/3/06 Las Positas College 2:00 p.m.

Friday 10/13/06 West Valley College

4:00 p.m.

Friday 10/20/06 Chabot College 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday 10/24/06 Evergreen Valley 4:00 p.m.

Friday 10/27/06 Hartnell College 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday 11/7/06 Gavilan College 3:00 p.m.

Friday 11/10/06 Foothill College 3:00 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball: Friday 9/15/06 Foothill College 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday 9/27/06 Monterey Peninsula 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday 10/4/06 West Valley College 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday 10/11/06 Cabrillo College 6:30 p.m.

Friday 10/20/06 Gavilan College 6:30 p.m.

Steroid use: going too far for the win?

Remember way back when former New York Jets’ Head Coach Herm Edwards went off during a post-game press conference? No? Well, let me refresh your memory - it's very simple, very easy to remember.

“You play to win the game!”

Ah, got your attention now, didn’t I? The reason I bring this up is this: if one plays to win the game, how far does one go to obtain that oh, so precious taste of victory?

Does that win haunt your dreams so much that you use an illegal substance to gain that crucial edge in the heat of battle?

Ever since Jose Canseco’s little coming-out party, the names and numbers of the highest profiled athletes have been brought in to question. Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Grimsley, Ken Caminiti, Marion Jones and Floyd Landis have all

had their names tarnished just for the sake of victory. However, it is not only the professional athlete who is dying for that boost; now it is also coming into the hands of the student athlete.

Just a few weeks ago, during a random drug screening, University of Southern California defensive back Brandon Ting tested positive for steroid usage, according to ESPN. If the name Ting is familiar to you, it is probably because it was Doctor Arthur Ting, Brandon’s father, who performed a number of surgeries on San Francisco Giants’ slugger Barry Bonds and supposedly testified in the perjury hearing of the single season home run king.

Brandon, along with twin brother Ryan, attended Union City’s James Logan High School, where they were the kind of kids that everyone

Swing away

By Nick Zambrano Sports editor wanted to be friends with. I, fortunately, was lucky enough to share a classroom with them while at Logan. And from what I saw, both were very goal-oriented, averaging close to a 4.0 G.P.A. and were three-sport athletes, also playing basketball and running track. Some would go as far as saying that they were closest to being squeaky-clean perfect, no shades of the dark side at all.

Apparently, being an inch away from perfection wasn’t good enough.

Did the Tings use steroids as

far back as high school? Did they distribute them to their teammates at Logan or USC? I couldn’t tell you. But what if other athletes did when they were 16 or 17?

The purity of the games we grew up on as children are in real jeopardy. We play to win the game, true, but there was a time when playing the game was just good, wholesome, all-American fun. No steroid testing needed at all. However, at the rate this fiasco is going, steroid testing could begin as early as Pop Warner and Little League.

Before being barred from playing collegiate football - which is the punishment if tested positive, the Tings both decided to leave football to prepare for medical school and most likely before Ryan gets tested. Coincidence?

Maybe. Remember this though,

it might be pretty easy for Brandon and Ryan to obtain these “performance enhancers” when Daddy is the orthopedic surgeon of almost every professional sports franchise in the Bay Area.

I love watching my favorite athletes perform day after day, but wondering if they're hocked up on steroids or human growth hormones isn't something I should be doing.

Now I find myself wondering, “was that with or without the juice?”

When I watch the Little League World Series on ESPN and see a 12 year-old kid throwing a 75 mile per-hour fast ball, I think, “Wow, this kid is going to be a stud when he gets older.” But, unfortunately that’s followed up with a, “Quick, where is his birth certificate?” and a, “with or without?”

Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is a sick thought.