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Vol. XLI No. 12
Renegade signs to play with Idaho
OPINION
9 faculty to teach in China
SPORTS
FEATURES
FEATURES
Student in China with magic show
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Fremont, California
Race and economic inequality -Page 2
April 29, 2010
‘Whether the Weather’
Dancers celebrate spring in the Department of Theater and Dance presentation of ‘Whether The Weather’ on Wednesday. The dance production
Photo by Amy Kent
will continue tonight through Saturday, starting at 8 p.m. in the Jackson Theater. See Page 4 for complete coverage.
Ohlone seeks economic prosperity three ways By KATHRYN DIXON Staff writer Facing a $2.5 million budget deficit in 2010-’11, the idea of economic prosperity for Ohlone College may seem an ideal of a bygone era. Yet the college has embarked on three paths to prosperity – vocational education, education for foreign students and a three-year plan to use $2 million in reserves. First, Ohlone has formed a committee to provide additional job training to students and to seek federal funding for doing so.
Dr. Leta Stagnaro, Associate VP, Academic Affairs heads the new Workforce and Economic Development Team. The team consists of Dr. Gale Carli, dean of Health Sciences, Environmental Studies and Workforce Development; Lesley Buehler, dean of Learning Resources, ECampus & Academic Technology; Chris Warden, director of Exercise Science, Athletics, & Community Education; Tina Dodson, TriCities One Stop Career Center; and Diana Garza, executive assistant, Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology.
Choy is elected ASOC president By EAN TAJERON Staff writer The ASOC Election results are as follows: For President: Evelyn Choy received a total of 331 “Yes” votes, and 34 “No” votes. Vice President: Timothy Thu received a total of 165 votes. Vivian Lam received a total of 213 votes. For Secretary:
Charlyn Gonda received a total of 322 “Yes” votes, and 27 “No” votes. For Treasurer: Chris Chang received a total of 168 votes. Frank Lan received 193 votes. For Representative at Large: Isabella Ohlmeyer received a total of 149 votes. Nazia Chandiwalla received a total of 92 votes. Marra-Marie Magsakay received a total of 108 votes. Continued on Page 3
So far the team has worked on continuing and possibly expanding the solar intensive training program, taught at the Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology. This program is an introduction to solar photovoltaic system requirements and their application in residential and commercial construction. Graduates may be eligible for a certification exam from NABCEP. The federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) pays for this course.
Light pole threatens to fall down High wind Tuesday caused a light pole to sway on its concrete base in Lot A next to Hyman Hall, and campus police warned owners of cars in the lot to move them. By Wednesday, the pole had been unfastened and lowered into the lot. Director of Facilities Lucky Lofton said, “We are not sure whether the cause was from either the original installation or long- term wear.”
The team is seeking more WIA funds for additional solar and green technology programs. Dr. Leta Stagnaro, associate VP, Academic Affairs, said the college hopes to renew its $55,000 contract with the Oakland Private Industry Council to provide Microsoft Office instruction. This contract is paid for by WIA. In addition, the college plans five different cohorts focusing on education for displaced NUMMI workers. $200,000 in funding for this project will come from the federal stimulus and WIA. This fall, the team hopes to com-
bine the Microsoft courses. Microsoft and Cisco Systems will partner with Ohlone in providing the most up-to-date technology in the classroom and will provide students with local job opportunities. Ohlone is now a regional training academy for Cisco Systems in preparing other colleges to implement Cisco training programs. WIA will pay for these computer courses. The team has secured a partnership for Ohlone with industry and Chabot College on two new Continued on Page 3
By KYLE STEPHENS Co-editor-in chief
Assistant Vice President of Newark Campus Leta Stagnaro said the garden was, “A great project,” and that “it’s been rewarding to watch students learn.” As an opportunity for student involvement, Bansal described the project as “Student driven, student involved,” something students can say they “Own it.” Bansal met Dr. Glenn Keator, a freelance botanist, at a conference, and started cooking the idea for the garden there. Keator, co-author of “Designing California Native Continued on Page 6
Earth Day gets off the ground In step with its green roots, Ohlone College Newark Campus’ Earth Day this year sought to emphasize sustainability and environmental stewardship. Activities for the day included the construction of a “biodynamic garden” in front of Building 2, the Biotechnology and Sciences department. Some 50 to 75 students were at the event Thursday morning, said Environmental Studies Professor Narinder Bansal.
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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 General Excellence Fall 1994 General Excellence Fall 2000 General Excellence Fall 2004 General Excellence Fall 2005
Editors in chief: Jeff Weisinger Kyle Stephens News editor: Manika Casterline Opinion editor: Anna Biaritz Roldan Features editor: Jillian Sanchez Sports editor: Nick Zambrano Photo editor: Jacque Orvis Online editor: Max Stephens Staff writers: Ean Tajeron Tina Karimi, Noah Levin, Nazia Mastan, Kathryn Dixon, Cyndy Patrick, Beena Dhonchak, Cynthia Velasquez, Blair Ruppert, Dave Sheffer, Hyder Abkhan, Nichele Ryles, Sarah Hashemi, Kevin Yin Photographers: Jessie Worden, Alex Glanville, Japneet Kaur, Denesha Zago, Allie Drago, Amy Kent, Joseph David, David Epperson Sophia Vaughn, Joseph Rivera, Joseph Florez, Jessie Worden Ad manager: Anna Biaritz Roldan Ad staff: Christy Marovich Inez Black 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
Race relations and economic inequality today By Loveday Ukaigwe Contributing writer Having the first black President of the United States to some is the change we need to bridge the gap of race relations and economic inequality, to others it is a good beginning to the Promised Land. After 145 years of the emancipation of slavery by President Abraham Lincoln, a lot has happened. For instance, in 1947, Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player. Twenty years later, in 1967, Justice Thurgood Marshall was the first black judge named to the Supreme Court. No doubt, progress has been made. The landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which abolished the segregation of schools across America, and the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, are all indications that the challenges we face is one of personal responsibility and no longer a blame game on race relations and economic inequality. Although tremendous strides have been made on these issues, the question remains, have we bridged the gap? A recent CBS News polling suggests that 59 percent of AfricanAmerican and 65 percent of whites think that race relations between blacks and whites have improved. About 61 percent of blacks think progress has been made in getting rid of racial discrimination since 1960s. However, I do not think that the election of the first black president will eradicate the race relations and economic inequality. Yes, we have made some inroads on some fronts, but gaps still remain in education, minority executives, economic disparities and unemployment. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr King said, “We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vault of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.” Echoing this sentiment, the riches of this nation are still unequally distributed among all racial spectrums. Now, the ground work has been set to bridge this gap; the work needed to close it is incumbent on all of us. In 2007, a U.S. Census Bureau report shows that the African- American median income was 75.2 percent of white median income, and Latino median income was 72.6 percent. In education, the 2000 Census data indicates that in California, 13 percent of Hispanics and 15 percent of Blacks have earned a bachelor’s degree, compared to 31 percent of white and 62 percent of Asian Americans. We cannot circumvent the underlying issue of having the same number of college graduates compared to whites and Asians and expect to close the gap on economic inequality. Historically black and Hispanic college graduates have lagged behind their white and Asian counterparts. Therefore, the economic divide continues to widen. Another staggering statistics that is very worrisome is the rate of teenage pregnancy among Blacks and Hispanics. The rates are 127 per 1,000 among Black and Hispanic women aged 15-19 respectively, compared to 44 per 1,000 among white and non Hispanic women. “Although these teen mothers are more likely to complete high school or obtain a GED, they are still unlikely
than women who delay childbearing to go on to college,” said, the Guttmacher Institute research on “Teens’ Sexual and Reproductive Health,” published in January 2010. Now, what usually happens is that these young mothers end up relying on the welfare system for support. This cripples any hope they might have of bridging the economic inequality between whites and Asians. In fact, it seems that they have no compunction for their behavior because they are duplicating the environment in which they grew up. Parents have to get involved to change the paradigm or else the economic inequality will continue to broaden. With regard to closing the gap between the executive’s ranks in corporate America, the solution lies in having more minorities in those positions. Until we have equal representation at the top, those who make hiring decisions will always hire their own. It’s called covert discrimination, and it happens frequently in corporate America. For instance, researchers Devah Pager and Bruce Western matched teams of young men of different races with fictitious resumes and identical qualifications to apply for 1,470 real- life entry- level jobs in New York. The result was that whites received positive response twice that of blacks and Latinos. A couple of weeks ago, the famed black journalist Tavis Smiley called a conference of black leaders in the President’s home town of Chicago, Illinois. He contends that the president was not doing enough to help mitigate the disproportionate unemployment rate that is plaguing black communities around the country. In an interview regarding the subject, the President rebutted, arguing that the best thing he can do for black unemployment is the same thing he can do for all Americans, and that is to get the economy moving so that companies can start hiring again. I thought that was a smart answer because it’s time we stop the blame game. Tavis Smiley should be using his position as a prominent journalist to challenge minority parents and their children to make education their number one priority as opposed to idolizing rappers and sports stars as their ticket to a better future. On the other hand, Tavis Smiley is correct that unemployment among blacks is high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics released April 2, 2010, the rates are 16.5 percent blacks, 12.6 percent Hispanics, 8.8 percent whites, and 7.5 percent Asians. Again, the reason for the disparities is because whites and Asians have more educated workers than blacks and Hispanics. President Obama, at the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, challenged African- American parents to push their children beyond worshiping NBA star LeBron James and rap singer Lil Wayne. “Our kids can’t all aspire to be the next LeBron James or Lil Wayne, he said. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be president of the United States.” If minority parents would take on this challenge, I believe we can bridge the gap of economic inequality and the riches of this nation will then be equally distributed.
Campus Comment > > > What are people most paranoid about?
Iris Chan
Mike Gilmore
Evelyn Brendan
Daniel Ho
Melissa Flores
“Budget cuts. For international students, the rates go up higher.”
“Finals coming up and their GPAs.”
“Getting caught by their parents.”
“Herpes.”
“Being on campus at night.”
HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
UNDECIDED
BIOLOGY
BUSINESS
NURSING
News The “B” Side By MANIKA CaSTerLINE News editor
Green Jackets It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Election time. Well ASOC election time that is. However, I’m left puzzled as to what exactly the “green jackets” mean in terms of representation of the student body even though I used to cover them in my first semester on the newspaper. This is in no means a personal attack against them...as people. In fact, I actually really like a bunch of their executives. At the same time, I also like Obama however that does not necessarily mean that I agree with him 100 percent of the time. We here at Ohlone have the largest governing community college body in the state of California. That should mean something more than just a 50+ number. It should mean political power and leverage. The biggest problem that I have with the ASOC is with some of the decisions that they have made in the past year, which reflects on their leadership. One example of this is how funds were allocated for the March in March. The idea of taking part and speaking out against legislative actions is perfectly fine as a necessity of participatory democracy. I see substantive value in that. My dilemma comes with the disconnect of the money given for transportation, which was about $10,000. ASOC gave that money to thr Civic Engagment club to protest how the education system doesn’t have any money. To any logical person the sum does not add up. Despite maintaining a huge ASOC body, there has been constant fluctuation in recent weeks. The majority of the ASOC was on the chopping block during their April 20 meeting for silly infractions such as not keeping bulletin boards clean and not holding office hours. It makes one wonder what they spend their time doing. Then there’s the election. Only one person is running for ASOC President and one is running for ASOC Secretary. How is that by any definition a race? For all these missteps, ASOC has made strides of progress over this past year. They have successfully petitioned during the annual Thanksgiving feast to save the Transfer Center. And they’ve rallied when 3 councilors employment was up for action by the Board of Trustees. Our student government has grown exponentially in a time of financial uncertainty and awareness has increased as a by product. However, quantity doesn’t take precedence over quality.
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College Council takes a look at the updated financial situation By TINA KarIMI Staff writer College Council met on April 26 to discuss Ohlone’s financial situation, the next steps in the accreditation cycle and goals of environmental sustainability. Since Ohlone College President Gari Browning was not present at the meeting as she was on a furlough day, Tim Roberts conducted the meeting. VP of Administrative Services Mike Calegari presented budget projections for the next three fiscal years. Calegari pointed out that there are several factors at the state level that Ohlone can not control or predict, and that the budget will have to accommodate new information as it becomes available. The next update from the state will come in mid-May after the Governor Schwarzenegger’s an-
nual May Revise of the budget. Expenditures are expected to outpace income for the next three years. However, the deficit for this fiscal year was not as dire as expected. The budget deficit, estimated to be one million dollars at the beginning of the year, is currently at $289,777. “It does not look that bad to me” said Calegari “A dramatic improvement over where we started”. The Board of Trustees has approved the use of the Rainy Day Reserve to cover the holes in the budget. Calegari also said that the Low Grade Water Intrusion project, the first major construction project in a series of possible improvements to Ohlone’s buildings is slated to begin this summer. The Low Grade Water Intrusion
project is state funded and thus should not take up a major portion of the budget. VP of Academic Affairs Jim Wright discussed the next steps Ohlone must take in the 6 year accreditation cycle. Last spring, Ohlone received a site accreditation visit; the next site visit will occur in 2014. Next fall, however, Ohlone will begin drafting its required Midterm Report. After the report is finished next year, it will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval. In 2013, Ohlone will conduct a self-study, which it will submit in fall of 2014, before the site visit. College Council also discussed its environmental stability goal, to “lead and educate the community in environmental sustainability”. According to Wright, the goal has “provided direction for the
college in some pretty significant ways”, citing the LEED platinum certified campus in Newark and the that the Student Services building at the Fremont campus became LEED Gold certified this week. “The district has the opportunity to shine as a leader in environmental sustainability,” said Associate VP Leta Stagnaro. However, College Council is behind on its goal of establishing a baseline of environmental sustainability for the college to continue to grow from, though the Ohlone has engaged a consultant to help with this endeavor. According to Stagnaro, sustainability “needs to be just as important as teaching and learning” in the Ohlone College community as a whole, not only at the Newark campus. College Council’s next meeting is to be held on Monday, May 10.
Continued from Page 1 ceived a total of 108 votes. For Student Member, Board of Trustees: Kevin Feliciano received a total of 184 votes. Herman Stampley III received a total of 64 votes. Helen Harrison received a total of 112 votes. For Legislative Representative: Christina King received a total of 152 votes. Jason Trinidad received a total of 86 votes. Manav Shah received a total of 126 votes.
approved by a landslide vote of 306 “Yes” votes, to 12 “No” votes. The duties of these offices are: * The President: Official Spokesperson, represent the students at Board of Trustees meeting, and to run of the ASOC. * The Vice President: Leads the Inter Club Council. * Secretary: In charge of record keeping and correspondents. * Treasurer: Maintains finances. * Representative at Large: In charge of I.D. Discount. * Student Representative: Represents students at Board of Trustees meeting,as the Student Trustee. * Legislative Representative: Represents the students at the
region and state levels. The common criteria for anyone who desires to be in an executive office are: · Must be able to serve a oneyear term (Constitution: Article V, Section 3.1) · Must be able to attend all of the ASOC meetings inther entirety (Constitution: Article VI, Section 1) · Be able to attend all of the leadership retreats/ ASOC trainings sponsored by ASOC and Campus Activites. · Be enrolled in and maintain at least 5 semester units (Constitution: Article IV, Section 2) · Maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA during their term as an officer (Constitution: Article IV,
Section 1-3) · Not be on academic probation at any time while in office or running for a position. During the ASOC meeting there was a presentation done by Evelyn Choy, regarding the microwave in the cafeteria. She was appalled at the condition of the microwave, and she discussed the possibility of purchasing a new and better one for the students. During the May 11 meeting, the ASOC will appoint a new executive position, which will be the Newark Representative. This person will represent the students of the Newark Campus, and thus will increase and maintain an ASOC presence there.
vocational and technical education and prepare people for jobs that pay “family-supporting wages.” Dr. Stagnaro said, “We are interested in career training. Ultimately everything we do is focused along pursuing a career.” Responding to a those who feel Ohlone may become too oriented toward vocational education, Dr. James Wright, President Academic Affairs, said “Ohlone is not reluctant to teach vocational courses. Like all community colleges, Ohlone’s programs are designed to respond to the need of our local community. We have career (or vocational) programs that do this in health sciences, biotech, and child development. Our historical enrollment has been 60 percent transfer, 25 percent vocational, and 15 percent basic skills. The class cuts have not affected that enrollment mix.” The second way Ohlone can reach economic prosperity is through providing education for more foreign students. Ohlone receives full payment from these students for tuition and for other instructional services such
as English courses. Eddie West, Director, International Programs and Services said there have been on average about 284 international students attending Ohlone each semester. International students, including degreed program students and English Language Institute (ELI) students contributed close to 2 million dollars gross to the college annually. The enrollment in foreign students has increased consistently since 2006-’07. West expects that increase to continue. Ohlone works with partners in China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and elsewhere. Some students are referred to Ohlone via agencies. Others are referred by relatives in the Tri-City community. Some are referred by sister-school partnerships.Three hundred foreign students are enrolled this year. West says enrolling foreign students can help with the budget deficit and provide other benefits as well. Foreign students enhance Ohlone College by providing cultural diversity and excellence in education.
Finally, Joanne Schultz, Dean of Business Services, has carefully guarded Ohlone’s budget over the years, saving as much as possible across the board. The result is four “pots” of funds totally $2 million which are in reserve. Mike Calegari, VP, Administrative Services, said these four pots in reserve consist of money regarding 1) capital improvements, 2) office equipment, 3) money to the College council, and 4) “faculty growth”. Calegari doesn’t want to use these “reserve pots” to meet the current budget deficit. He said, “Strong reserves in position is a good place to be given the uncertainties of the current economy.” When asked about the three-year plan, Calegari stated he is working on this and does not have the details yet. No committee has yet been formed nor has any process yet been instituted regarding the use of these reserve funds. It may be possible to creatively use this $2 million for Ohlone’s economic prosperity.
ASOC new executives revealed
These new officers will abide by the new constitution which was also
One step up the hill at a time Continued from Page 1 automotive training programs to repair BMW automobiles. Ohlone will receive federal Career Technical Education (CTE) stimulus funds to pay for its role in the programs. The team is also working with the Bay Area Community College Consortium (BACCC) to set up vocational programs which receive federal CTE funding as supplemented by the Carl D. Perkins Act funding, a federal appropriation for vocational and technical education. The federal government is now interested in preparing the workforce with academic and technical skills to be able to find local jobs in order to get out of the recession and compete in the global market. The federal stimulus act provides $500 per year to pay for such programs and pays millions for CTE programs. The BACCC is comprised of 26 colleges and 10 Economic and Workforce Development Initiatives in the Bay Area. It is funding by the Perkins Act and supports projects to improve
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Photos by Manal Bijoui and Amy Kent
Classes ranging from beginner to advanced all participated and even choreographed some of the dance numbers.
‘Whether the Weather’: Colors of summer arrive By Sarah Hashemi Staff writer Not many people realize how difficult dancing can be, especially performing. If a dancer messes up in front of an audience, the audience automatically pulls all their attention to that mistake and it outshines the rest of the show—a show that could have been an overall good performance. Despite the possibility of defacing oneself, performing is still an opportunity to showcase all of the hard work a dancer has put into their number. This week, Ohlone will be letting a variety of dancers to put all of their hard work, sweat and
tears into a showcase of dances called“Whether the Weather” The 14 dances encompass the seasons—starting at the beginning of the summer and making their way through the remainder seasons. The songs and dances directly reflect each other and the seasons. In the summer season, the audience should expect three different dances, with songs such as “Disco Inferno” and “Summertime” In autumn, there are four dances, one being an all male performance. The winter section holds five dances, which includes a tap number and a “holiday spirit” dance—taking Christmas music by the Trans Siberian Orchestra to honor the holiday season. The final dances are spring in-
fluenced and are heavily decorated with bright colors and flowers. The very last dance has all the dancers coming on stage to give their farewell to the audience. The spring showcase is an annual event that collaborates the students from the dance, costume construction, interior lighting design and stagecraft classes. It also integrates several types of dance styles, such as: jazz, hip-hop, ballet, modern, and tap. The dancers are from beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. As the show progresses, it runs through that order and the dances gradually become more and more advanced. The coordinator of this event is Janel Tomblin-Brown, who is a
Professor and Director of Dance Theater and Dance at Ohlone. Brown is a graduate of San Jose State University and holds degrees in Dance and Theatre Arts. She started teaching part time at Ohlone in 1995 and came on as Director of Dance in 2001. All of the dances in the showcase were either choreographed by Brown, student choreographed or a collaboration between the two. On Wednesday, “Whether the Weather” went through a final dress rehearsal that was open to Ohlone staff and students. Brown said that it was a simply a practice run-through. One of the dancers, who participates in practically every other dance in the showcase, Vanessa
Loera, expressed her excitement for the performance. She started taking dance lessons when she was five, when she entered high school she took a break before starting up again at Ohlone last semester. Loera was also in the winter showcase and said her motivation to participate is because she “love[s] performing.” This is the case for the majority of the dancers taking part in the showcase. “Whether the Weather” will be open to the public starting today at 8 pm and continue through Saturday in Jackson Theater in the Smith Center. Ticket prices will be $15 for the general public and $10 for student and youth. Tickets can be purchased online at Ohlone.edu.
die West, director of International Programs and Services, defines a sister-school as having, “established some formal memorandum of understanding and cooperation, which is a formal document signed by, generally speaking, the president of each school.” West said, “It outlines the areas we are seeking cooperation on, be it faculty exchange or student exchange.” The process of selecting the faculty members who would participate in the program was based on the desires of the sister schools. For example, the school in Hangzhou is a music-based school that has requested music professors to come and teach. Every school has expressed interest in ESL (English as a Second Language) and one school in Suzhou, a business-based school, has requested computer science faculty.
From there, an announcement went out to faculty in those desired areas and depending on those who expressed interest, followed a hierarchy; full time, part time, etc. In Suzhou, there will be Xisheng Fang, Yong Gao, Adam Peck, who are all professors of computer science, Richard Grotegut, computer networking professor, and Joyce Podevyn, an ESL professor. In Hangzhou, Dennis Keller, Jim McManus, both music professors, and Leslie Payne, an ESL professor. While in China, these professors will be teaching their disciplines to Chinese students for a short duration. Keller said while in China he will, “be teaching for two weeks at the Zhejiang Vocational Academy of the Arts (in Hangzhou), and also at universities or conservatories in; Dalian, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. At each of these institutions I give vocal master classes and work with
the choirs.” The sister-schools will be covering the cost of airfare and accommodations for the faculty. Fang, one of the attending professors, made this possible. He has been negotiating with the schools in China to make sure the cost for the professors is as low as possible. Ohlone will be offering a very modest compensation of $250 per week, that is in reality simply pocket money. This program considers the largest compensation to be the cultural experience. West said this program is, “more about professional development and the opportunity for students to benefit from that.” Fang said he believes the purpose of this program is to essentially establish a strong relationship with China because, “with very close economic and political tie between America and China and with global economical system, our
world becomes smaller and people at the two sides of Pacific Ocean want to know each other more than any time before.” The program would like to maintain and possibly expand in the future and hopes to give every faculty member with interest in teaching abroad an opportunity to do so and would like to extend sister-school relationships with more schools in a larger range of countries. Ultimately, Ohlone would like to have faculty from other countries come and teach classes. The only obstacle in lieu of this is a lack of funding for this program—the cost of accommodating professors is too high. For now, Ohlone will continue its faculty and student exchange programs with China until it can expand to other countries. For more information on the program contact Xisheng Fang at xfang@ohlone.edu.
Students have the opportunity to learn and experience different cultures than the one they already know. In the 2010 Fall semester, the study abroad program will be traveling to Sydney, Australia. Students will be given the chance to study and experience the culture and the environment of Australia. The requirements for students to be involved in the study abroad program is that they need to enroll in at least 12 credits, be 18 years old and must submit a short application with reference letters
from teachers. Students will be heading to Sydney Sept. 6 and will return Nov. 24. Jeff Watanabe, who teaches Marine Biology,will leald the Study Abroad program. Watanabe said, “The semester will last 12 weeks compared to 16 weeks at home. However, I encourage students to leave early and stay longer.” Watanabe went on to say, “I will arrive in Sydney in July and stay through late December.” “I plan on going to the Great Barrier Reef and New Zealand.
How many times in your life are you going to get to travel in the Southern Hemisphere?” said Watanbe. Besides exploring the country, students will be having a daily schedule of classes that they will be taking while living in Sydney. Students are allowed to choose from five different courses that are being offered, four of which are UC/CSU transferable. The courses being offered are Marine Biology, Human Ecology, Survey of World Art History, Cultural Anthropolocy and Travel Journaling. Watanabe will teach Marine
Biology and Human Ecology while two Australian professors will teach Cultural Anthropology and Art History. The cost for this trip is $7,600. The courses will be held at Australia Catholic University and students will have opportunities to interact and socialize with other Australian college students while on campus. This is an opportunity to experience the beauty and culture of Australia, Wantanbe said. For more information about the program, contact Jeff Wantanbe at jwatanabe@ohlone.edu
Nine Ohlone faculty to teach in China By Sarah Hashemi Staff writer As China is slowly but surely becoming the world’s next superpower, it has become vital to maintain a strong relationship and understanding of the Chinese culture. Ohlone has been doing this by expanding its International Education program, which now encompasses study abroad, student exchange and international faculty exchange programs. This summer, Ohlone will send nine faculty members to teach in China. This is the first year of the established program but had its informal start back in 2004. The teachers attending will be sent to three of Ohlone’s sisterschools to teach for a two to three week period. Currently, Ohlone has sisterschools established in China, Vietnam, Korea and Sweden. Ed-
Study Abroad returning to Sydney, Australia By Anika Dokes Staff writer Have you ever wanted to adventure out of your own comfort zone and see the world from a different perspective? Ohlone’s Study Abroad Program offers students a great amount of information regarding study abroad programs. Most of us educate ourselves about life outside by reading books, surfing the Internet and watching the travel and history channels. This program allows students to dream outside the box.
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April 29, 2010
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Student travels to China, lives the dream By Anika Dokes Staff writer Have you ever wondered when a big opportunity would come your way? Sometimes it is better to start believing and dreaming at any age. One student at Ohlone has had the biggest dream of his life come true. Tyler Wiest, who is a Broadcast major, is in China this week living a dream. Wiest, who has done a great amount of backstage work, has done more than five-hundred shows at Ohlone. He has participated in
numerous magic shows with Ed Alonzo. Wiest is in China this entire week as a stage manager and has been performing in magic shows that have been allowing him to demonstrate some of his talent. The magic show will be bringing magicians of all magnitudes together to perform. Wiest has participated in numerous magic show acts with Ed Alonzo’s Misfit of Magic at Great America, the Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem at Great American and the World Magic Awards in 2008 with Neil Patrick
Harris. In addition, Wiest has also participated in other magic acts. He teamed up with Craig Wilson in the Annual Fire Fighter Charity Event in San Jose for the performing arts and with Chipper Lowell. The magic shows Weist is performing are not far South of Beijing. There are a total of 10 shows and Weist steals the spotlight for 25 minutes of that two hour show. Wiest has been in China since last Thursday and will return May 6th. Weist is an example to all of us. Do what you love and accomplish the impossible.
Weist, right and Alonzo goof around on stage.
‘Sleep Dealer’: A world different from our own By Dave Sheffer Staff writer Last Thursday MEChA showed the film ‘Sleep Dealer’ a science fiction movie about an imagined progression between Mexico and United States relationships’ in the future. MEChA, which stands for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan which translates to Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan. Aztlan refers to a portion of land annexed from Mexico by the United States during the MexicanAmerican War. MEChA has been around since the 1960s with over 400 chapters
across the United States. Around 20 students showed up at the Newark campus to watch the film that depicts life as a Mexican living in America during the1960s. According to the club’s co-advisor, Ralph de Unamuno, MEChA hopes “to help create student life on campus, while mixing fun and entertainment with education.” In the film, rather than having immigrants doing menial labor in America, they plug into machines in their own countries and are plugged into machines in America doing menial labor. Despite the film’s premise, it feels more like a William Gibson
story; the godfather of cyberpunk, than say a Hernandez brothers story about Mexican culture. Cyberpunk is a view of the future where high tech has become cheap junk that even the poorest can afford and modify. The movie’s feel is heavily influenced by its low budget, which in fact makes it ultimately seem more relatable. Minus the glamour and makeup of Hollywood ‘Sleep Dealer’ covers a more gruesome and realistic background. The tech has a feel of something modern yet advanced compared to something far off in the future like in “Blade Runner”
The movie starts with a privatized water company that has dammed the local river in Mexico, forcing the residents to buy water from the company. It is the first sign that this world is different from the one we know. There are TV commercials of drone planes piloted by people with face masks and bars offering Live Node Girls. The node is the plugs that humans have to jack into the computer. The drone pilots have nodes on their arm to jack into the computer akin to the Matrix. Unlike that film, Sleep Dealer presents people nodes as a volun-
tary add-on for people. The main female lead uses her nodes to upload her memories into the form of a blog for her website. According to de Unamuno, “Chicano/MEChA movie night will hopefully be made into a monthly event to view films on campus that speak to social, cultural, and political issues of the day in a relaxed atmosphere.” In May, MEChA will be showing Smoke Signals a film by the Native American writer Sherman Alexie. More info about MEChA can be found at http://www.ohlone. edu/org/lrrc/mechamyths.html
6 MONITOR
News
April 29, 2010
Green is the theme at Earth Day Contnued from Page 1 Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens,” has written several other books and teaches in the Bay Area. The garden, and one like it at College of Marin’s Indian Valley campus, was paid for via a Chancellor’s grant of $374,254. This grant was part of a two-year initiative for a sustainable food systems program. The garden, which will have a seeding of native plants event next Tuesday, will be planted with “Touchables, smellables, sustainables,” according to Bansal, who described the garden as a “Student driven project,” with faculty assistance as well. “There will be vegetables, summer, spring and winter ones – a year-round growing season.” Classes at the Newark Campus will rotate, being tenants a month at a time, growing food for the Peet’s Coffee cafe at the Newark Center, local food banks, and for people just passing by. The organics division of Allied Waste donated 25 cubic yards of compost for the garden. The students got to work on it after it was unloaded in the parking lot in front of Building 2. Future additions to the garden, include a wheelchair accessible pathway through, and a bamboo fence around the perimeter. Other highlights of the day in-
Food for Thought By Nazia mastan Columnist
Get schooled
Photo credit by Kyle Stephens
Students prepare the biodiversity garden at the Newark campus as part of Ohlone’s Earth Week events. cluded a debate of microeconomics sustainability. Throughout the week, cleanups around campus were held, a display of the junk mail received by Newark faculty, a “murder scene chalk outline” of a tree in masking tape.
Volunteer and Environmental Studies student Homayoon Falsafi said, “Trying to bring back green to planet Earth.” Henryk Sloma, handyman and student in Bansals’ wind energy class, one of those installing the
garden beds, emphasized the importance of ‘green’as a lifestyle, not just a one-day-a-year thing. On Earth Day though, he was grateful for “the beautiful day, working with wood, and meeting some nice people.”
ICC discusses rechartering By Noah Levin Staff writer With just two meetings of the Ohlone College Inter Club Council (ICC) left this semester, club
representatives are being kept busy between helping to organize end of the year events and preparing Club Recharters. The last ICC meeting is to be held on May 11. ICC Chair Ngan Vu was absent from the April 27 proceedings due to illness, leaving ICC Secretary Tim Thu to preside over the meeting. After working through opening parliamentary procedures, Thu reminded the gathered representatives that the final day to hand in their club recharters was on May 3. The recharters are yearly proce-
dures that clubs must go through as both a book keeping measure to track ICC finances, and as a way of keeping up with club continuity. ICC Advisor Renee Gonzales said if any club fails to meet the early May deadline, then that club would cease to be and then have to reapply to the ICC. Thu announced that the International Club’s money request to finance its end of the semester celebration was approved by the ICC, and the request was carried to the Associated Students of Ohlone College, where it was voted on this Tuesday.
Last week I discussed innovation, and the fact that only educated individuals can come up with fresh and new ideas about how America can climb back on top of the world stage again. Education is the key to our personal success as well as the success of the U.S. in a larger context. If you are a student at Ohlone reading this, then you’re already on the right track. However, students all around our state are dropping out at record rates. This may be due to the fact that they may need to work full time to support themselves and their families. The only reason students should have to drop out is because of a binding time constraint. Paying for college should not be the issue. I was browsing the internet and stumbled upon a website that very boldly summarized facts about states in our country. You guessed it, California’s statistics were cringe-worthy. The website entitled get schooled.com reports that California has a college readiness rate of 32 percent, which means that only 32 percent of high school students are ready to enter college after graduating. However, it does get better from there. California has a 44 percent enrollment rate, which is less than half of high school graduates enrolling in college but it is more than the 32 percent that are tested to be ready for college curriculum. Regardless of the fact that more college students are enrolling than the amount that are ready for it, it’s still less than half of high school graduates attending college. I honestly wonder why this is. The last important statistic I found regarding California college students was that only 46 percent graduate from college. If finances are a problem when it comes to attending college, there are resources for you. Regardless of the horrible fiscal state that California is in currently, there are pockets of money saved for college students to ensure them a smooth ride through their education if money problems produce bumps in the road. Getschooled.com offers bloglike posts that help students fill out their FAFSA forms, choose colleges that are fitted to their particular interests or needs, how to pay for college seminar videos and tips on what to put in university applications. To be Continued
Sports/Campus Events
April 29, 2010 monitor
7
Ohlone streaks to seven straight victories By Jeff Weisinger Editor-in-chief If the Renegades lineup is going to find a time to click, now’s that time, especially with Regionals just a week away. Toss in Tuesday’s 11-8 win at Hartnell, and it’s safe to say that Ohlone has found their stride at the perfect time. A 2-for-4 performance with four RBI’s by Jeff Johnson and another 2-for-4 day with two RBI’s by Kyle Holmstrom led the Renegades to their seventh straight win, and their fourth straight game where they’ve scored 10 or more runs. Ohlone
scored 12 runs in back-to-back games against Skyline and Cabrillo last week, and upset top-ranked Cañada 17-10 at Redwood City on Saturday. The Renegades have also scored 10 or more runs in 14 games and are 14-0 when scoring such. “I feel our team is doing a fantastic job of preparing for each game and not looking too far ahead,” said Renegades Head Coach Jordon Twohig. Freshman right-hander Mark Mercer (3-2) retired the first nine Panthers on his way to his third win
of the season, pitching six innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. “Mark did a great job on the mound (Tuesday),” Twohig said. “He has regained his velocity and was very competitive in the win over Hartnell.” The Renegade lineup matched Mercer’s competitiveness against Hartnell starter Michael Angelo Guzman (7-3), tagging him for six runs in the third inning. Guzman walked Zach Johnson with the bases loaded to give Ohlone the game’s first run, then
Jeff Johnson laced a double down the left field line for a three-RBI, bases clearing double, putting Ohlone up 4-0 with two outs. Johnson scored off Tanner Laran’s RBI single and Kyle Holmstrom’s bunt single scored Laran to cap the Renegades’ six-run third inning. Ohlone took a 7-0 lead after Cody Foster’s RBI double in the fourth. Guzman finished the day pitching 6 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs on seven hits with seven walks and two strikeouts. The Panthers wouldn’t stay down for long though, as they
scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth off a grand slam from Michael Jensen with one out, cutting the Renegade lead to 7-4. Hartnell would score two more runs in the sixth inning to make it a one-run, 7-6 game, however, Ohlone sealed the win by scoring two runs in the seventh and a run each in the eighth and ninth inning. Ohlone (26-8) finishes the regular season with back-to-back games today and Friday against Monterey Peninsula and Gavilan. First pitches for those games are set for 2 p.m. and noon respectively.
Read the Monitor Online at http://ohlone.edu/org/monitor or www.ohlonemonitoronline.com 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 Bia Roldan at (510) 659-6075 or e-mail monitorads@ohlone.edu
April 29 Men’s and Women’s Swim/Dive away vs. State Championship in Belmont Plaza, Long Beach, all day 29 Men’s Baseball home vs. Monterey Peninsula College at 2 p.m.
Ohlone College’s Theatre and Dance Department in the Smith Center Jackson Theatre at 8 p.m. 30 Spring 2010 Last day to drop full-term course with a W grade - Academic Calendar
29 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Meeting - Student Activity (Room SC-116, Fremont campus), 4 p.m.
30 Men’s and Women’s Swim/Dive away in the State Championship at the Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, all day
29-30 Annual Spring Dance Production: “Whether The Weather” by
30 Men’s Baseball home vs. Gavilan College at noon.
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2 Women’s Softball - Regional Round 1, all day
1 Women’s Softball - Regional Round 1, all day
2 Spring 2010 Youth
1 Men’s and Women’s Swim/Dive away in the State Championship at the Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, all day 1 Annual Spring Dance Production: “Whether The Weather” by Ohlone College’s Theatre and Dance Department in the Smith Center Jackson Theatre at 8 p.m.
Basketball Instructional League - Mini Renegades, Grades 1-2 Boys and Girls 9:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Page 8
Lady Renegades rack up conference awards By Nick Zambrano Staff writer Ohlone Head Coach Donna Runyon has had a lot to smile about this past week. Her team grabbed another Coast Conference North Division Title for the 12th time in her career. This year’s title also marks the team’s eighth title in a row. On top of that, her team was granted a spot in the Northern California Regional Playoffs, an event that kicks off this weekend. It doesn’t stop there for Runyon and her Lady Renegades. Runyon, who has been coaching at Ohlone for the last 23 years, was also recognized as the Coast Conference Coach of the Year. When asked how many times she has won the award in her illustrious career, Runyon couldn’t give a definite number. “I couldn’t tell you. A lot?” Runyon jokingly commented. However, she could tell you the number of awards that her players received this year. On the Coast Conference First Team, Ohlone had five players selected. Among the First Team were left fielder Mariah Jones,
Photo by Alex Glanville
The Coast Conference-North Division First Team was compiled from six different teams, which included Ohlone, College of San Mateo, Chabot, De Anza, Mission and Foothill. designated player Stefanie Hatley, shortstop Ashley Nahale, third baseman Shelby Tomasello and pitcher Jessica Varady. On top of being named All-Conference, Varady was also named the Pitcher of the Year for the conference. And because she received that honor,
the freshman was automatically named to the All-State Team. She finished the season 30-6 with a 1.76 ERA and second in the state with 13 shutouts. At the plate she was equally effective, leading the team in batting average, hits, home runs and RBI’s.
“It feels amazing,” Varady said. “I didn’t think I’d ever get this as a freshman. I didn’t expect it all.” Varady remained modest as she gave credit to her teammates for helping her in success. The ever-versatile Ashley Nahale and slugger Stefanie Hatley were
additionally selected to the All-Nor Cal Region Team. This is Nahale’s second regional award she won last year with her play in the outfield. “I think my team had a lot to do with my success in being a top athlete because they pushed me to do better,” commented Nahale. In typical Ohlone dominance, another five players were selected to the Coast Conference Second Team. Among those on the squad were the Sisters Gentry, Antonia and Paulina, Candace Christiansen, Ashtyn Mullin and Megan Ramirez. Gathered from both the first and second team, the Lady Renegades had a combined total of 10 players represented. In addition, that is everyone from the starting lineup. Due to their record (27-9-1, 14-2), the Lady Renegades will host Feather River in a two-out-ofthree for the opening round of the regional playoffs on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s opening game is set for noon as well as Sunday’s. However, if a game three is needed, that game will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Ohlone star signs with University of Idaho By Kevin Yin Staff writer
Photo by Nick Zambrano
Ganaeya Rogers, left, with Ohlone Head Coach Julia Allender after signing with the University of Idaho.
As the Ohlone women’s basketball team bids farewell to renowned sophomore guard Ganeaya Rogers, it does so with the knowledge that their loss will be another team’s tremendous gain. Rogers, a graduate of Milpitas High, signed a letter of intent on Tuesday to attend the University of Idaho before a gathering of her family, friends and teammates. Idaho is a Division I school, and competes out of the Western Athletic Conference. “I want to say thank you to everybody for the support,” Rogers said to the assembly shortly before signing. Afterward, when asked to describe her time at Ohlone, Rogers answered with warm humor, “I feel like I put in a lot of time, and I’m happy to be going on.” Clearly, the time was well spent. In 2007‘08, Rogers’ first season at Ohlone, she averaged 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game en route to being named to the All-Coast Conference team as an honorable mention. Rogers was forced to redshirt the following year after tearing a ligament in her knee, but she came back for the 2009-’10 season stronger than ever. In her final season at Ohlone, Rogers averaged 15.0 points,
5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.4 steals her game while leading the Lady Renegades to a conference title and playoff berth. Her brilliant sophomore campaign drew a parade of honors, including being named conference Co-MVP, All Conference First Team and being named to the California Community College All-State Team. Rogers was also responsible for perhaps the most memorable moment of the 2009-‘10 season, a slashing drive and go-ahead layup in the waning seconds of Ohlone’s first round playoff game against Contra Costa College. Rogers was reserved at the signing, displaying the same quiet confidence she exhibited on the court all season long, but Ohlone Head Coach Julia Allender did not hesitate to sing the praises of her departing star. “It’s not a surprise to me at all that she got a D-I full ride,” Allender said. “Every expectation I had for her she met.” Apart from her obvious physical gifts, Allender credits Rogers’ success to her outstanding work ethic. “She works. She’s very tough minded. She enjoys being successful,” the Ohlone coach said. “That’s the biggest attribute that I have always seen from her. She enjoys being successful, and in order to do that, you have to work.”
Swimmers heading to state championships
By Kevin Yin Staff writer The Ohlone College men’s and women’s swim teams failed to capture a conference title at last weekend’s Coast Conference Championship meet, and Ohlone Head Coach Gene Kendall couldn’t be happier. The men’s team finished 2nd to West Valley College in a field of eight. The women’s team finished in 5th place. However, four Ohlone swimmers qualified for the State Championships in individual
events, while the men’s relay teams qualified in all five of the relay events. “All of my guys swam out of their minds,” a visibly excited Kendall said. “Pretty much everyone went lifetime bests in just about everything. It was one of the best coaching experiences I’ve had because everything was just so positive. The taper worked, they were fully rested. They were all ready to go, and they went. They went fast. It was really kinda cool.” Jason Corbett, Nick Raimondi and A.J. Griffeth were the three
men’s swimmers who qualified for the State Championships in individual events. Corbett will be swimming the 200 IM, the 200 free and the 100 breast. Raimondi qualified in the 200 IM, the 400 IM, and the 200 free. Griffeth will race the 100 back and the 200 back. Additionally, Corbett, Raimondi, Griffeth and five other men’s swimmers will be competing in the five relay events. Ashley McBride was Ohlone’s lone qualifier for state on the women’s side. McBride qualified in the 500 free, the 50 fly and the 100 fly.
Qualification for the State Championship meet is done at the Conference Championships statewide. The 16 fastest swimmers in each event throughout the state qualify to race at the state championships. Those 16 swimmers are then seeded at the State Championship based on the speed of their qualifying time. Raimondi is seeded 2nd in the 400 IM, and Kendall believes he has a good chance to become the state champion in that race. The men’s squad had high hopes of winning the conference title,
but Kendall says that rather than being disappointed in the result, the team is pleased with their performance. “Even though they didn’t get first,” said Kendall, “they realize they lost to a really good West Valley team, and they’re really ecstatic about state and about how many people get to go--and to see what kind of damage we can do at that level.” The State Championships will be held April 29 to May 1 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.