Monitor 2010-5-13

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Vol. XLI No. 14

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Skin gets some help in the Quad -Page 8

Fremont, California

OPINION

Four sign with 4-year schools

FEATURES

Presidents review year at Ohlone

SPORTS

NEWS

FEATURES

Alum’s film wins at festivals

Children caught in Afghan war -Page 2

May 13, 2010

They’re back!

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Ohlone’s bats lead the way to the Renegades’ second straight trip to the Super Regionals. (See story, Page 11)

Multimedia Festival honors Pilar Lewis

By MANIKA CASTERLINE News editor Last night’s annual Multimedia Festival was a special affair that was a tribute to the event’s founder, Pilar Lewis.

Pilar Lewis was the founder of the Ohlone Multimedia Program and started at Ohlone in January 2001.

She had struggled with cancer since she was a teenager and passed away on March 18. Lewis leaves

behind her husband, Steve.

Katherine Lee, who is part of the Multimedia faculty and is running the event in the absence of Lewis said, “I was Pilar’s student from when she first started teaching at Ohlone and completed the program through her. As her student I helped her with the very first festival to the past festivals.”

Lee said that Pilar was the individual who nutured and inspried her into becoming a teacher in the Multimedia department.

Lee said, “This year I’m helping to organize the Festival and to dedicate this festival to her to thank her for all she has done for the students, department, and the impact she had on my life, as her student and colleague.”

The Multimedia Festival is held as a showcase of student work from the various multimedia courses that Ohlone offers.

The winners this year, based on their categories were:

* Digital Imagery Best - Patrick Tang HM - Jyoti Desai * Interactive Media Best - Bradley Rodrigues HM - Zheng Wang * 3D Modeling Best - Daniel Tritton HM - Czarina Pellissier * 3D Animation Best - Raymond Stewart

HM - Monica Rucinski * Game Design ` Best - Ryan Coggins HM - Ravi Jayant * Web Site Design Best - Zheng Wang HM - Jyoti Desai Best in Show winners won $100 and Honorable Mentions got $50.

The judge was Minyu Chang, a computer graphics modeler at PDI DreamWorks.

$2 million yearly deficits seen until 2013

By KaTheryn dixon Staff writer Vice President Mike Calegari Wednesday gave trustees a gloomy three-year budget forecast for Ohlone: $1.6 million deficit in 2010-‘11, $2 million deficit in 2011-‘12, and $2.8 million deficit in 2012-‘13.

These figures do not reflect concessions from employees’ unions and assumes all future wages are frozen at the current level.

Calegari said “some concessions” from employees might be required in the future to “keep reserves strong.”

Trustee Greg Bonaccorsi asked Calegari if bookstore funds were available to reduce the deficit.

Calegari said the bookstore, over the course of a year, has a fund of $2.5 million, and that this fund has not been touched so far, but could be.

Bonaccorsi asked whether Ohlone would try to put a parcel tax initiative on the ballot to raise funds. Calegari said that would be a “hard sell.”

Calegari said $1.4 million was generated from international students last year and 75 percent of that went into the General Fund and 25 percent was used to fund

the program.

He said increasing the numbers of international students “impacts the capacity for domestic students.”

To prevent layoffs, the three unions and the unrepresented personnel provided memorandums of understanding to the board, which made concessions regarding their wages.

The board accepted these memorandums.

The California School Employees Association (CSEA) entered a memorandum of understanding that it will save the district $166,688, which is the CSEA’s

share of the shortfall.

CSEA members will forego receiving payment for six days of furlough that would otherwise be workdays between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

Each CSEA member will take six consecutive Fridays during July ‘10 and August ‘10 as furlough days, unless otherwise agreed to with the employee’s supervisor and otherwise arranged under this agreement.

These concessions are made to prevent layoffs of CSEA members for 2010-‘11 academic year.

But additional concessions may have to be negotiated if the budget

situation worsens.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) agreed to concessions to save the district $50,280, which is the SEIU’s share of the shortfall.

SEIU members will forego receiving payment for 6 days of furlough that would otherwise be workdays between July 1 2010 and June 30 2011.

Each SEIU member will take six consecutive Fridays during July 2010 and August 2010 as furlough days, unless otherwise agreed to with the employee’s supervisor.”

The United Faculty of Ohlone Continued on Page 5

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Opinion

monitor May 13, 2010

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

Placement test biased against foreign students?

By Loveday Ukaigwe Contributing writer Last fall I transferred to Ohlone College from a private institution.

On the advice of my counselor, I printed out the course descriptions of the classes I had taken and delivered them to the Dean of Social Sciences, Mickelyn Stacey. One of those classes is COM-105, which is the exact course description as English 151B. Despite this, Stacey insisted that I take the placement test. Although I was prepared for the placement test, I was surprised to be placed in English 151A—151B. I told myself that something must be wrong with

the system, wondering “How could I be placed in the classes I had already completed?” Then dawned on me that some of the questions in that test were personal questions, such as, “How often do you read?” and “When was the last time you read a book?”

Obviously, if your answer is “occasionally,” these machines would automatically place you in a lower class. Given that Ohlone is culturally diverse, I think the institution should rethink the approach of the placement test, because the school is made up of many students who speak English as their second language.

Placement tests should be fo-

cused on the tools of the language rather than such personal questions, such as “How often do you read”?

Sure, they may not be frequent readers, but they could have a great understanding of the tools of the language. Also, if some transfer students had already completed the class, they shouldn’t be forced to retake the placement test.

Students are not allowed to transfer without passing English 101A. The placement test should encompass individual merits as well, and officials should be open to all options.

After submitting my first essay, the lab instructor asked me.

“What class is this for?” and I answered,“151A.” She nodded in disbelief and gave me the maximum score. For my second essay I worked with an excellent instructor, Bruce Bennett. Again, he asked the same question as that of the person who reviewed and graded my first essay.

This time he thought I should be in 101A, not 151A. He asked if he could see some more of my work. I told him I had a couple of articles I had written for the Monitor. He told me to bring them next time. I did just that; he then wrote a note with the articles to Dean Stacey. “I was reading some writing Loveday brought to the Lab and I noticed

how well he writes. I was surprised he was in 151A and not 101A. He showed me some article he wrote for the Monitor. If all his writing is this good, I think he is ready for English 101A.” On my third attempt, hoping that a peer recommendation would help, what surprised me was that, not only do these officials not care about the recommendations of the same folks they entrusted to grade students’ work, she insinuated that somebody wrote those articles for me.

For the record, you can delay my graduation date with your position, but you can’t question my intellectual ability.

Taking a look at the fate of Afghan children

By Oranoos Nerow Contributing writer Twenty years of armed conflict has destroyed the lives of millions of Afghan children. Ten years after the development of the convention on the right of the child, it became ratified by almost all the world’s states including Afghanistan. But the most basic rights remain no more than a paper promise for the children of Afghanistan.

Families have been torn apart in

the fighting. Many children have lost their parents or siblings. Others have been forced to flee from their homes; either abroad or to other parts of Afghanistan. Children have been the victims of the war. In many ways all have suffered distrupted schooling and economic hardship.

The physical, emotional and mental developement of generations has been severely affected by the on going fighting.

Samira, an 8 -year-old girl living with one of her far relatives in Kabul told us that her parents and

brothers died during one of the relentless rocket assaults that ravaged Kabul for four years. While rival islamic factions fought for control of the capital.

Hundreds of thousands of children have been killed in indiscriminate bombing and shelling of their homess, schools, or playing fields. Possibly thousands have been killed and tortured at the hands of the numerous armed political groups. Many more have been killed or maimed by the millions of landmines which litter the

country’s soil.

Girls and at times even boys have suffered rape and sexual assault.

Sexual violence is common against youth; they have been abducted by local warring commanders eiter for their own sexual purposes or to be sold into prostituion. Boys are forced to dress in female attire, and perform sexual acts which is known as “Bacha-Bazi” or “Childs play.” Children in Afghanistan are sexually exploited, deprived of health eand education, and illegally detained by all sides in the war.

Children also have to find their own way of coping with the horrors of the war. Young boys have taken on the responsibilities of adults as the bread-winner of the family after their fathers have been killed. Gangs engaged in the drug trafficking and smugling have preyed on children’s vulnerabiliy. Armed groups have recruited children to fight in battles, turning them into perpetrators of violence themselves. The traumas of experiencing such brutality and being Continued on Page 3

Campus Comment > > > What’s the craziest plan you have for summer?

Angelique Mordel

Tony Chen

Daniel Baculi

Cherese Holland

Patricia Loveland

“A road trip to Portland for the final day of Warped tour.”

“To climb a tree.”

“Get another job and get a motorcycle.”

“A trip to Africa in July.”

“A trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.”

BUSINESS

ACCOUTING

PHYSICAL THERAPY

DEAF STUDIES

DEAF STUDIES

Opinion

May 13, 2010 monitor

3

The Monitor staff wishes you a happy summer break From left, top to bottom: Alex Glanville, Joseph Florez, Bill Parks, Ean Tajeron, Joseph Rivera, Kyle Stephens, Jeff Weisinger, Jessie Worden, David Epperson, Jillian Sanchez, Nick Zambrano, Kate Dixon, Nazia Mastan, Sarah Hashemi, and Manika Casterline. Not pictured: Biaritz Roldan, Jacque Orvis, Max Stephens, Inez Black, Christy Marovich, Noah Levin, Dave Sheffer, Hyder Abkhan, Tina Karimi, Amy Kent, Joseph Florez, Kevin Yin, Anika Dokes, Ashley McKenzie, Denise Ann Burgan, Allie Drago.

While we’re away

By ANNA BIARITZ ROLDAN Opinions editor While the Monitor is on summer break, there are many world-wide events that I do hope our readers keep track of over the summer break.

First there is the Gulf oil spill that has not yet been resolved.

This issue, as Ohlone Geography Professor Ausaf Rahman says, is very important because it has damaged much of the sea life that we cannot even see. It will cause a decline of oxygen that comes from sea life and a huge production of carbon dioxide that may affect the rate of climate change.

Other issues are the Euro crisis, the continuing change in weather and climate, and the new govenment sructure that Britain is forming.

Lastlly, there’s the November 2010 elections, the Supreme Court appointment confirmation hearings, plus the ongoing battles in Washington.

I hope that you all keep yourselves updated with current events.

That goes for me as well.

War violates Afghan children’s rights Continued from Page 2 surrounded by violence, fear and hardship has deeply affected these children, leaving permanent scars on the personality of a child.

The effects of the war Afghanistan has had a long-lasting impact on the future developement of society. The country needs trained doctors, teachers and engineers but with generations of children missing out on the most basic schooling as well as higher education, the prospects for developments remain bleak.

Jamshid Alirazah, a young boy from Logar, Afghanistan voiced his unhappiness,“We go to school but it’s no good because we only study religious subjects.” Many children take education for granted in other countries, but inAfghanistan children would consider it a gift from God to get an education. Sadly, many are not blessed with it, especially young girls. Shannam Rasuli, a 9-year-old girl from Herat, Afghanistan said, “We want to be educated but the situation is not good for us. We can only go to the mosque and learn from the Mullah (priest).”

Vahid Hijazey, an 18-year-old young man from Logar, Afghanistan said, “We were defenders of our village. I was a child soldier.

We didn’t have guns all the time but every so often, it would be my turn to put the Kalashnikov machine gun

Photo by Oranoos Nerow

Kids at play among the buildings ruined during warfare in Afghanistan. on my shoulder and walk around with it. We were shown how to use it, but fortunately we didn’t have to.”

Hijazey is now a trainee in a tailoring shop, where he is earning enough money to help send his younger brothers and sisters to school.

Hijazey said, “My hope for the future is that I’ll be able to take care of my family and get a good knowledge of my trade.”

While it is usually boys who are given arms and pushed to the front line of the battle, girls often carry

the traumatic scars of war.

“I am attending the literacy class with a classmate whose father was killed by a mine during the conflict in our village,” said Hamida Ashah, a girl from a town called Ghazni.

When Hamida was asked how she felt about attending the literacy class with someone whose farther killed hers, she responded, “This is actually the best place for me at the moment, compared to the many sad years that I have had to endure.

Besides learning to read and write and receiving training to be tailor I am also trying to forget the terrible

days when I had to go through after my father’s death.”

Children in Afghanistan are starting to have a new life and with that the people are trying to rebuild Afghanistan. None of the children growing up today in Afghanistan has ever known peace, and most live in poverty.

Will Afghanistan ever be in peace? Will people in Afghanisan ever be able to live the life they always wanted?

These questions are still not answered because the future of Afghanistan is still unknown.

Campus Comment > > > Are you registered for the fall semester?

Kyle Ebert

Horacio Zambrana

Karina Jaranilla

Hodan Ahmed

Zihua Cai

“No, planning to take four classes.”

“Yes. I am taking five classes.”

“No, I’m going back home.”

“Yes, I’m taking 10 classes.”

“I’m trying to, but the system crashed.”

PSYCHOLOGY

MUSIC COMPOSITION

FINE ARTS

NURSING

UNDECLARED

4 MONITOR

News

May 13, 2010

The “B” Side

By MANIKA CaSTerLINE News editor

In a year of trials, Browning optimistic about the future

Prof.

Dude Sir What you are holding in your hands is the last issue. That’s the last issue composed with Bill Parks as the adviser of the Ohlone College Monitor.

I started at the Monitor being the bottom feeder position that is staff writer. Somehow in my time here at Ohlone, I yo-yo’d between staffs with the only continuity being Bill. And here in the end, the last Parks academic year, I’m back to where I should have been this whole time...on newspaper.

I’ve given the you glimpses into my life. The center of which is this very publication and the people who work tirelessly to make it happen every single week. Even if that means being here until 3 a.m on a Thursday morning. Writers. Photographers.

Editors. They come and go.

However, the same person has been at the helm of this ship for the past 17 years.

That’s not to say that we haven’t weathered our share of storms. Server issues and faulty Macs are only the tip of the iceberg. Yet, we’ve never had a Titanic episode. The Monitor has always come out when it was supposed to, thanks to the grumbling Parks. He remains the consummate optimist in the face of Wednesday deadline night seeping into Thursday morning.

Parks said, “Hopefully we will be done by 10 p.m., in regards to our first fully-staffed paper for Fall ‘09.

That’s where you cue collective laughter from the editorial staff. However, Professor Dude Sir has moments where he is right. “You know this is going to be a good paper,” Parks said at 1:02 a.m. on Sept. 24 2009.

For all the hard work that is put into the Monitor, there is the fact that as Parks said, “This is a family newspaper.” The staff has bonded, becoming a family. We look out for one another and are willing to punch filing cabinets instead of one another to prove the ties that bind. Dude Sir is just the patriarch of our dysfunction.

Last semester, the current Opinions editor, Bia and I were talking and she saw something outside. Bill’s inquisitive nature asked what all the commotion is about while she responds, “It’s a bird.”

Bill proceeded to take out a pair of binoculars. It serves as a metaphor regarding Dude Sir in that he is a journalist as much as he is an adviser.

This issue will be delivered by “you people” and will be “coming by camel.” If Parks has any say he will most certainly not sail off quietly into the sunset...

Editor’s note: Dr. Gari Browning addresses the state of Ohlone College over the past academic year as “an excellent year,” in her opinion.

This year has been one of trials, especially with the State budget situation and its impact on our course offerings.

We also had to make up for a big, unexpected mid-year cut to our funds for services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.

But together we successfully closed the budget shortfall through a hiring freeze, a retirement incentive, and salary reductions reached

in the form of furloughs.

More importantly, the budget challenges didn’t get in the way of some great student accomplishments this year. * Our students continued to transfer to four-year universities at one of the highest rates among the Bay Area community colleges. * Every one of our nursing students passed the licensing exam once again. * Our math students received national recognition. * Our performing arts productions continued to draw great crowds. * Our athletic teams won an unprecedented number of league championships. * Our innovative programs for high school students continued their successes. * Our Associated Students of Ohlone College were stronger than they have ever been, even extending their leadership statewide.

We have used this year wisely to make significant strides in longterm and annual planning and in the updating of facilities planning.

We are about to implement the new 2010-’15 Strategic Plan we’ve

worked so hard on.

We are poised to begin two important facilities projects:work on new science modulars is slated to begin sometime in the fall, and there’s a good chance we’ll launch a major water intrusion project in spring.

Over the summer we will assess progress on our accreditation plans and recommendations and prepare a midterm report to submit in spring.

With the completion of our Facilities Master Plan for Fremont this semester, we have positioned ourselves for a possible November bond bid that would revitalize the campus over the next several years.

Next year, we expect the State’s budget woes to continue, and we anticipate another funding gap we will have to close. However, we are already pulling together to address it. I’m certain we will overcome the budget issues, and I expect many exciting accomplishments.

As always, we’ll continue to help our students succeed. We won’t let the budget interfere with teaching and learning or the success of our students, and we’ll continue to follow through with plans to improve the learning environment.

I look forward to another successful year in 2010-’11. Have a great summer!

Feliciano will continue to advocate for Ohlone needs Editor’s note: Kevin Feliciano reminicises over the past year that he has spent serving as President of ASOC. The ASOC is proud to have represented you and your opinions on over 30 different committees across campus and within the ASOC. This year the ASOC has seen a total membership of 63 Executives and Senators.

The ASOC funds many various programs, activities, and events throughout the year.

This year we have provided over $45,000 to over 42 different programs and departments including Welcome Day, Transfer Day, The Monitor and Midnight Magazine, the ASOC-CNET Computer Help Desk, the Thanksgiving Feast, Student Mathematics League National Competition, and Nishati Program Outreach, March in March 2010, Freshman Connection Day, Welcome Day 2010, Ohlone Symphony Orchestra, the International Club and Latinos In Science and Technology at Ohlone to name a few.

ASOC has completed various projects throughout the year.

One of our biggest accomplishments was the $100,000 Cafeteria Modernization Project, which replaced the aging furniture in the Fremont Campus Cafeteria.

We also replaced the picnic benches by the pond with benches similar to those around the Fremont

campus. Another project we have completed is the Newark Recreation Room.

This coming year we will continue our pilot program to see what we can improve on and apply to the Fremont Campus.

The ASOC has been active not only on campus representing you but also at the state levels of student government.

In the realm of advocacy the ASOC has partnered with the Ohlone College Civic Engagement Club to bring students to the March in March on Sacramento 2010.

This event brought nearly 400 staff, faculty, administrators and students to Sacramento.

The ASOC also took a stance against the proposed layoffs, protecting vital services to students such as the Transfer Center.

We gathered nearly 2,000 signatures from students on campus in support of the services provided at the Transfer Center.

These are only but a few of the things we’ve advocated for and done for the students.

My overall vision for the ASOC this year was to be an effective and efficient organization to represent the students.

By revising these governing documents we have set up the student government to be as effective and as organized as possible to represent the students.

Overall the ASOC Student Government has seen good times

and bad times.

We are a serious organization that is here to represent the students’ needs, wants, and concerns.

On behalf of the ASOC Student Government, I’d like to thank you for your support and encouragement and for allowing us to represent you.

Now more than ever the students’ voices are important.

We need to stand up as one unified voice of the students.

We look forward to continuing to grow and represent the students by providing students a quality and professional student government.

On a personal note, I would like to thank you for providing me the opportunity to serve as your ASOC President.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve the students.

I look forward to serving you as your next Student Member, Board of Trustees and to continue to represent the students.

Good luck on your finals, have an amazing summer break.

To those of you who are moving on to four year universities best of luck in all your endeavors and life.

For those of you returning in the fall, we look forward to seeing you then!

Best of Luck!

Kevin Feliciano President- Associated Students of Ohlone College

Inside the Lines

By Jeff Weisinger Editor-in-cheif

Two decades There are teachers that just do their job and then there are teachers that, sometimes without knowing, make an impact on their students.

Journalism professor Bill Parks would be that kind of teacher.

For nearly 20 years, Parks led the Ohlone Monitor newspaper staff semester in and semester out, week in and week out to put out what would be one of the more recognized junior college publications in Northern California.

Aspiring writers for the most part have come and go. However, each and every one will say that Bill has impacted each of their lives, to a point that they do come back to that very same Monitor office on the third floor of Building 5 to catch up and say hi.

And these aren’t people that have just graduated and left the supposedly dying industry that is journalism.

These are people that have gone out and achieved their dream careers.

These individuals serve as an inspiration to current Monitor staffers that intend on continuing the vital role of holding public officials accountable and informing our society.

One went out and made a movie out in Germany, several have gone into the journalism field, becoming writers for various newspapers, some even editors, and a select few have become well-known photographers.

If it wasn’t for the laid-back, driving attitude that he’s exuded to his student-run newspaper staff throughout the years, some of these students, even this semester’s staff, would not be able to do the things we do today.

In a time of budget cuts and financial stress, he found a way to keep the weekly tradition that the Monitor brings to Ohlone. It was never perfect…

This year I received the humbling honor of being named as the award recipient for the Journalism department.

An honor that Manika Casterline is assigning one of her news writers to investigate because she thinks there was voter fraud.

There probably was.

What he taught me is how to take chances. And he did so by taking a chance on me.

I went from an inexperienced sports fan and to becoming the Monitor editor in chief.

While I’m thankful for my editors, writers, and photographers, who I am has been shaped by the aging man known as Bill Parks, or Santa when it’s December.

News Food for Thought

By Nazia mastan Columnist

The last criticism The Ohlone Monitor newspaper is an informative expose of student life and administrative failures.

These last two years have been a growing experience to say the least for me due highly to the Monitor.

The rest of the staff and I have learned about one another and how to deal with tempers, criticism, and understanding more and more, issue by issue.

Deadline by deadline.

I’ve seen things that I’ll never forget and have acquired life lessons that will stay with me forever.

An example: I tell a writer that their story sucked in an overly pretentious and flowery manner that it comes off as a compliment. That is until they understand that’s it’s quite the contrary.

Also I’ve learned how to plan stories; before they happen, coordinate people who don’t know one another to work together, and organize it all to be cohesive.

The most important thing I’ve learned is that in my time here at Ohlone is that administrators may not have all the answers.

In fact, they may not have any answers at all.

A school is made up of administrators, professors and students.

I have come to the realization that we the students have the answers and we have real opinions.

We need to come to sensible conclusions through our own means. And I’ve discussed some ways as to how in my previous columns.

To me the Monitor advisor, Bill Parks was not only an adviser but a hard critic and mentor to all of the staff.

He oversaw the layouts of pages, edits, as well as the sanity of the staff. I’ll forever be indebted to him for his life lessons.

He taught us how to take constructive criticism and how to handle it. Parks also taught us how to dish it to our writers.

It was not about be cruel or frightening them. It was about improving every day...every week. And patience while I’ve learned how to be a writer, editor, and a columnist.

May 13, 2010 monitor

5

International students to increase

By TINA KARIMI Staff writer Ohlone College plans to increase the proportion of international students from just above 2 percent up to 5 to 7 percent over the next five years.

According to Eddie West, chair of the International Education Committee, this figure was arrived at by examining the nationwide average percentage of international student enrollment and the average percentage in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries.

This includes many European states as well as Japan and the United States.

The number of international students at Ohlone has been increasing over the last few years, and they have generated $1.3 million for the school.

Increasing the proportion of international students was one aspect of College Council’s discussion of its diversity goal, to “enhance college-wide interaction with and acceptance of diverse peoples, cultures, arts and perspectives”

by 2015. One of the objectives of the overlying goal is to “increase the number of course offerings that specifically address issues of cultural diversity and ethnicity.”

VP of Academic Affairs, Jim Wright commented that the objective is “well intentioned, but not measurable” as there is no concrete definition of diversity built in to its language, thus making it difficult to specify which classes meet the criteria and measure any improvement.

College Council has given most of its attention to discussions of budget and how to keep to college functioning during the current fiscal crisis. In the wake of the state budget crisis the Ohlone budget has been one of the main issues that College Council has contended with this year and will continue to grapple with for the foreseeable future.

In times of economic pressure, students often turn to community colleges to pursue their educations, and this was evident in the increased demand for classes at Ohlone over the past year.

Because of the budget, this

increase in demand was coupled with a 30 percent cut in available sections for spring semester.

In a bid to protect future fall and spring semesters, the college cut 50 percent of summer classes for the upcoming term.

Of particular concern were the huge cuts made to Ohlone’s funding to Deaf and Hard of Hearing services. The cuts to DSPS funding constituted a major blow to an already strained budget, causing Ohlone College President, Dr. Gari Browning to write to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

Sources of possible funding or cost-saving measures were also discussed, such as outsourcing the bookstore to an outside company and developing Ohlone’s frontage property to create a source of revenue for the college.

When it was possible to make a projection of the college’s budget into the next few years, the news was not as grim as it was expected to be. The deficit for this fiscal year, which was estimated to be about a million dollars earlier in the year, came in at $289,777.

Expenditures, however, are expected to outpace income for the next three years, indicating many more College Council discussions about the budget and a need for new solutions for students in a time of financial strain.

It ratified the Educational Master Plan. -Notably, the plan projected expanding Ohlone’s environmental and science offerings and expanding the Newark campus.

The Facilities Master Plan, a “vision document” which lays out a general picture of updates and changes to the campus that will be made over the next ten to fifteen years, was also discussed and ratified.

The state has already promised funds for remodeling Buildings 3 and 6, possibly setting a precedent for further state-funded construction. The first of the construction efforts is scheduled to take place this summer.

In its final meeting for this year on May 24, four new members will be added to College Council, replacing members Bob Bradshaw, Susan Meyers, Kim Stiles and Bill Parks.

$2 million short per year, three years Continued from Page 1 (UFO) agreed to concessions to save the district $329,000, which is the UFO’s share of the shortfall.

UFO members will forego receiving payment for four days of furlough (32 hours) between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

In addition, UFO members may reduce their workload by a proportion of their choosing provided that the courses or services they reduce do not need to be replaced with adjunct faculty.

Their benefits will be reduced

in proportion to the reduction in their load.

The unrepresented employees consisting of administrators, managers and confidentials agreed to forego receiving payment for six days between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

This concession will save the district approximately $133,123.

All three unions and the unrepresented employees agreed to participate in a severance incentive of $1,000 for each full year of fulltime service up to a maximum cap

of $20,000. The employee must resign/retire no later than June 30, 2010.

According to Calegari, the May revise of the state budget, which occurs on Friday and the passage of the budget in July will affect Ohlone’s budget and the future of Ohlone College.

There is no 100 percent guarantee from the Board or Ohlone that more concessions from the three unions and administrative staff might have to be made in the long term.

Possible concessions are de-

pendent on whether or not the budget deficit will grow as a result of further legislative action from the state level. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stated on Monday that he would cut funding to health care as a way to deal with the budget crisis.

Ohlone President Dr. Gari Browning said summer school capacity is now 74 percent full and fall 2010 capacity is now 31 percent full. On Thursday, 800 more continuing students will be eligible to register.

ICC cuts clubs for not rechartering

By Noah levin Staff writer Much to the displeasure of ICC Chair Ngan Vu and Renee Gonzales, a large portion of the ICC constituency had missed this semester’s May 3 deadline for handing in the recharter forms.

The forms are a bookkeeping formality.

And they are necessary for club representatives to fill and file these at each semester’s end to continue the existence of their clubs next semester or else the club will cease to exist and be terminated.

Many clubs will not be functioning at the start of the next semester, including many long-standing ones on campus.

Clubs among the fallen include the Asian Pacific American Student Association (APASA), African American Club, the Game Developers Club, Majhong Club, Math Club, MeCha, Crossroads, Ohlone League of Engineers (OLE) and the Philosophy Club.

All these clubs will have to reapply their clubs for approval once the fall semester has begun to operate in offical capacity.

Ohlone Board of Trustees member Garrett Yee also addressed the ICC meeting.

Yee is running for the California State Assembly against Democrat, Fremont City councilmember, Bob Wiecowski.

Yee has also been endorsed by former Fremont State Assembly-

man, John Dutra.

He gave a brief speech to the assembled representatives, commenting that he was “very impressed by all the different clubs here.”

Yee explained in short that he was an ideal candidate for the state assembly, citing his service in the Iraq War and his experience in the insurance industry.

The final meeting of the ICC on May 11 was opened by Vu with a heartfelt speech given to the assemblage.

Vu said, “I just want to say thanks for all the hard work you guys have put in and I’m so proud to look at us now, to look at the dedication and enthusiasm that you guys have given.”

The new Vice President of

the ASOC, Vivian Lam, was announced to be taking Vu’s place this coming fall semester.

Vu will be transferring to University of California, Berkeley.

Two new clubs are to be joining the ranks of the ICC in the coming semester: the Hip-Hop Club, and the Anthropology and Multi-Cultural Club.

The Hip- Hop club is said to be for all those who have some type of art.

Tagging, dancing, lyrical skills are all welcome, and is to be a way for artists to share their talents.

A representative for the future club said it would be “less of a class and more of a social gathering, the purpose being to bring together the arts of rap: poetry and dance.”

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Features

monitor May 13, 2010

Life and Style

By ASHLEY MCKENZIE Columnist

Dancing salsa Ohlone, I have an announcement to make. I have found the new, hot thing to do on a Friday night: salsa dancing! This is beyond random, I know, but I’m so excited to share my experience with you all that I can’t contain myself.

A friend and fellow Ohlone student, Brandon Jones, turned 21 last week, and one of the things he was doing to celebrate was going salsa dancing! (I think he was most excited about the fact that now when he asked a girl if he could buy her a drink, he could buy her something besides water!) When Brandon told me about his plans, I got so excited that I invited myself to tag along. A friend of a friend heard through the grapevine that I was going salsa dancing and called me up and asked if I wanted a partner.

The club we went to, Club Monteros, was in one word: fantastic. One of my favorite aspects of this particular salsa club is the price of admission also gets you a free salsa lesson at 8:30.

So you can arrive early, learn a few moves, get your feet wet and then when the club gets going, you actually know what you’re doing! The dance instructors even make you rotate partners every few minutes during the lesson, so that you get comfortable with the dance itself, not the person you’re dancing with. I have to admit, it was a little scary at first, but then I remembered: everybody is here to learn. After all, if they knew what they were doing they wouldn’t need to take a lesson, would they?

The dancing itself was incredible! On Friday nights, Club Monteros has a live band come and perform, and let me tell you; the live music takes not only your dancing, but your experience to a whole other level. As my very handsome (and Latin!) date, Edgar, turned, twirled, dipped and maneuvered me across the dance floor, I swear I felt like I was the leading lady in a movie. That is…until I would stumble on my heels, or step on Edgar’s toe, or my personal favorite: over spin, completely lose Edgar and be frozen in my dramatic pose (like I learned in my lesson), and not see my partner anywhere and therefore be posing for no one. But actually, it was fun!

I really liked this place because the drinks were potent, the food was beyond delicious, and the live band was off the hook. If someone was looking to shake up their routine, go on a great date, or just looking to have a great time – gotta be Club Monteros.

Ohlone Chamber Singers on tour last summer along with the Chinese choir in Hangzhou, China.

Qinghai, China receives Ohlone’s help

By Anika dokes Staff writer Does classical music relax you?

If so, there is a special event that will soothe you.

The Ohlone Chamber Singers will present its final performance for the spring semester on Saturday, May 22 at 8 p.m. at the Gary Soren Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Fremont.

This will be a benefit concert for the people affected by the recent earthquake in the Qinghai Province of China.

On Tuesday, April 13 a 6.9 earthquake struck Qinghai causing severe damage.

Dennis Keller, who formed Ohlone Chamber Singers group in 1985, was also the choral conductor.

Ohlone Chamber Singers meet on campus every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. during the regular school term in August and ending in May. Currently, there are 32 auditioned voices composed of adult singers representing 17 San Francisco Bay Area communities.

The group also has talented students who are currently attending Ohlone.

The choir performs an eclectic array of literature extending back to the Renaissance and through the most contemporary idioms.

The group sings various types of literature however their music ranges from the late Romantic and Contemporary eras and folk arrangements around the world.

The final concert will feature music from the stage and screen with choral arrangements of such jazz standards as My Funny

Valentine, Stormy Weather and Isn’t It Romantic as well as other classic selections from operas including Carmen, Idomerneo and Rigoletto.

The second half of the concert will include selections from Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore.

The tickets proceeds from the concert will go to Red Cross: China Relief.

For more information and ticket sales, contact the Smith Center for the Fine and Performing Arts @ (510)659-6216 or www.smithcenter.com.

Photos by Jillian Sanchez

Not only is Phiri a senator for ASOC but also a representitive for both ASL and the Deaf Club.

Zambia native lives the California life

By Sarah Hashemi Staff writer The Republic of Zambia is a country located in South Africa, between Congo and Zimbabwe.

Their education system is divided into basic education, which is school years 1-9, and secondary education, which is 10-12.

Only 50 percent of students complete basic education and less than 20 percent even make it to secondary because of an enforced tuition at year 8.

A problem facing the education system is the education of disabled students. The 2007 Educational Statistical Bulletin released by the Zambian Ministry of Education reveals that the dropout rate for deaf learners is 97 percent.

Deaf Ohlone student Francis Phiri beat those odds when he graduated from Munali High

School in Zambia and came to America on Aug 4, 2009 to pursue a higher education.

Phiri was born in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. At the age of 12, he was stricken with malaria and it caused his hearing to slowly deteriorate until it was completely gone.

In 2004, he entered a school with a deaf program,“That was hard for me to learn, to start sign language and to start the basics,” he said.

Despite having a deaf program, Phiri said, “[It] is really awful…the teachers don’t know how to teach the deaf.”

During the time in high school, Phiri became involved in the deaf community. He took part in organizations such as the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Zambia(ASLIZ) and Deaf Hope.

He met Frank Lester during this time, who is a teacher at the Cali-

fornia School of the Deaf. “[He] saw I was smart in my classes, so he decided to bring me here to America,” said Phiri. Lester is paying for Phiri’s education with help from deaf organizations.

When Lester first approached Phiri about going to America to learn ASL (American Sign Language), he mentioned the deaf program at Ohlone. Phiri decided that he was going to attend to “get my AA in deaf studies, transfer to a university, and get my BA to become a social worker.”

So Phiri left his family in Zambia and this is now Phiri’s second semester at Ohlone. He maintained high grades and was even able to play soccer for the Men’s Soccer Team, which he described as a good experience.

When spring semester came, he had to choose between ASOC (Associated Students of Ohlone

College) and continuing soccer. He chose to pursue ASOC because “I wanted to be a bridge from ASOC to the deaf community. I want to hear their concerns and bring to the ASOC what the deaf people need.”

He is also a representative for the ASL and Deaf clubs on campus.

Ultimately, “I want to become a deaf advocate, like teach at a deaf university in Zambia; to help the deaf community there with skills for their English.” Phiri continued to say, “I want to help overcome the deaf education, like the problems that I faced in Africa. A life without education is really hard.”

His ambitions are to either work for the government, teach ASL , or even coach soccer when he returns home.Phiri will be continuing his education at Ohlone and hopes to be back home in Africa by 2012 to pursue his goal of revolutionizing deaf education in Zambia.

Features

May 13, 2010 monitor

7

Photos courtesy of Chris Mitchell

Wiest with Sisuepahn Phila, Farrell Dillon, Jonathan Levit, Eric Buss, Chris Mitchell and Ed Alonzo. At right, the stage.

Magician’s assistant travels to Puyang, China

By Jillian Sanchez Features editor Most students get a job at a local grocery store or a fast food joint.

Tyler Wiest is not your average student. Two weeks ago, Wiest traveled to China as a magician’s assistant.

“The main job for an assistant to set up the show and be in the show” he said. Performing for the Chinese was not easy for Wiest or the magician he was assisting. “For

the magic, a lot of the magicians in the show were speaking and then an interpreter would speak which turned a seven-minute show into a fourteen minute show,” said Wiest.

“The magician I was working with makes all his tricks able to be done as silent tricks.”

Apparently, Chinese entertainment is different than American entertainment, aside from outrageous game shows that involve eating raw lobsters. “In China, the audience has never been exposed

to that kind of entertainment. What would normally cause a great deal of laughter didn’t.”

Along with performing in the show, Wiest got a look at the poverty that China suffers from.

“China was an adventure, to say the least,” said Wiest. “It’s hard to describe just how different [China] is.”

The city of Puyang suffers from extreme amounts of poverty. “In this city, there weren’t really any trash cans and the kids didn’t wear

diapers, so they would just go in the street.”

China’s government has always been known for being “strict” on what information comes in and what goes out. “They have a big use of censorship,” said Wiest.

The censorship was so strict that even certain websites, international news, etc. was denied access. “The government was very different,” said Wiest. “In China, you can’t get on to news websites. They don’t really talk about international

news.”

As for going back to China? “I don’t know if I would go back to the city I was in.”

It was definitely an experience that broadened Wiest’s horizons, “I would say that I am now more prepared for future gigs like this because there were a lot of curve balls.”

“My perception is that the world is a lot bigger. I was expecting what looked like Hong Kong, not what was in Puyang.”

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Features

May 13, 2010

Sephora helps students improve their skin

By Sarah Hashemi Staff writer The spring semester will finally end with the slow but sure arrival of finals.

On May 28, it will officially mark the time every student has doubtlessly been anticipating: summer. Between finals and summer vacation, it can be really damaging to one’s skin.

On May 11, Sephora once again came to Ohlone. Not to talk about makeup but to talk about skin care. According to their website, Sephora is a visionary beauty-retail concept.

Employees Elizabeth Lorache and Callie Curtis arrived at Ohlone and were immediately bombarded by curious students and professors with questions about their skin and how to care for it.

Each person in line was able to identify their concerns and have either employee give them advice on how to treat it along with a sample of the best products. The display table presented each type of skin concern: acne, pores, aging, sensitivity and uneven skin tone.

Curtis has been with Sephora for two years and said, “Acne concerns are the most popular so far,” after she completed a few consultations.

She went on to explain, “Skin care is really important, because without skin care, foundation doesn’t look as good, makeup doesn’t look as good.”

The most popular products were Boscia, Murad and Olehenriksen.

Boscia is an all natural product and is described as a “revolutionary Japanese brand [that] creates some of the most innovative anti-aging and skin-purifying products—free

of chemicals and full of the finest botanicals.” On the other hand, Olehenriksen and Murad are clinical and contain chemicals, which focus more on the chemistry of skin care and how to correct uneven skin tone.

Ohlone has recently set up a partnership with Sephora, meaning that it does not cost Ohlone any money anytime Sephora is on campus. Renee Gonzales, the Campus Activities Coordinator at Ohlone, helped form the partnership and coordinated the event.

ASOC was also passing out surveys asking about student opinions on the performance of Campus Activities.

They collaborate with ASOC to put on campus celebrations and activities for the students.

Gonzales said that the newfound relationship between Ohlone and

Photo by Jillian Sanchez

Sephora consultant Callie Curtis helps Nina He find what products will work for her skin.

Sephora means that they will be on campus again next semester.

After consultations, each student was given a card.

At the end of each consultation, the last tip Sephora employees had to give was to remember to use sun block in the hot summer sun.

Mark Skillz debuts ‘White Lines and the Fever’

By Dave Sheffer Staff writer ‘Mark Skillz’ a.k.a. Mark McCord went back to school at the age of 35 to become a writer.

McCord attended Ohlone College where he wrote for the Monitor for two years. After graduating he moved to South Carolina and went to work for Wax Poetics, an international magazine devoted to record collectors, DJs and audiophiles in general.

His first article ‘When the Fever was the Mecca’ looked at the hip hop club Fever during the 1980’s at its most influential time. The article exposed how wild Fever really was. It looked at the mur-

der of the club DJ Junebug due to heavy drug dealing. Not a lot of money was being made in hip hop at the time and he resorted to dealing drugs.

Five years later, McCord’s first article has become the short film “White Lines and the Fever: The death of DJ Junebug.”

Just as “When the Fever was the Mecca” was his first published article, this is his first screenplay.

According to Skillz, “It was very hard to write the screenplay, I’m used to writing in prose and narrative. This is something I learned from Bill Parks in media class.

Writing a screenplay you need to think about what images you are going to have and what music

should be used. It’s like learning to eat with your left hand.”

Skillz went on to say, “I wanted to tell a story about people and not the birth of hip hop. Their life, joys and sorrows. It does a good job telling the story of consequences of bad decisions. To take the story and make a film that resonates with people is incredible.”

The first screening of the film was with the film crew and families and the second screening was with the cast of the film. “These are people that I used to watch on television and buy their records as a kid. That response was out of this world,” said McCord.

His short film won “Best Documentary Short” at the 2010

Tribeca Film Festival, as well as the Special Jury Award at the South

by Southwest Film Festival.

Skillz, who co-wrote the screenplay as well as served as music consultant, compared the success of the film as being akin to a rocket going off. “You see a rocket going into the air and pass our view and you don’t know where it’s going to go, it’s the craziest thing.”

The name ‘Mark Skillz’ comes from Mark’s desire to be a rapper in the ‘90s and even though he has since given that up, he has kept the name.

The article can be read on Mark Skillz website hiphop101a. blogspot.com. The trailer for

the film can be viewed at http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfUGcUTkkM. McCord is trying to turn it into a full-length feature film.

The best advice that Skillz has to offer to budding writers is, “Writing is a lonely craft and art.

Whatever you’re passionate about you should write about because that’s where you best work is going to come from.

“My favorite book is ‘Seabiscuit,’ but what attracted me to it was the passion the author had for the subject. Don’t go out there looking for money, the money will come but stick to your passion never wave from your passion, stay with it.”

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

By Sarah Hashemi Staff writer Twenty-seven years ago, Elaine Nagel started working at Ohlone.

At that time, she was the Community Events Coordinator, a position she held until she retired a few years ago.

Nagel was in charge of community services, College for Kids, facility rentals, American Indian Pow-Wows and The Super Flea Market. She describes community services as, “none credit courses, enrichment classes just to enrich your life.”

After her first three years, Nagel decided to start what is now called The Super Flea Market.

“It was to raise money for college—for extra things and stuff,” she said.

There were nearly 600 booths set up in the parking lots. Due to the recent economy and strict restrictions, the number of booths has dwindled over the years but Nagel says it remains a success.

When Nagel retired, “they asked me to come back on a contract and just do the flea market,” she said.

She not only started the flea market but she also started the

Winter Boutique and The Great Garage Sale Blast.

The garage sale is only once a year and started about seven years ago. According to Nagel, it was started because, “we just wanted to do another type of event.” She continued to explain, “The flea market is everything used, new, collectibles, arts and crafts. Where the garage sale is only used merchandise—that’s it, that’s all you can sell used stuff.”

On Saturday May 22, Ohlone will be hosting The Great Garage Sale Blast in parking lot E. To be a vendor at the event, the require-

ments must be followed strictly.

This event must include professional antique and collectible dealers/vendors, vendors who have been vending at Ohlone two or more times in the last 12 months and new or used merchandise dealers. This event is strictly for the average person trying to clean out their closets and garages of used and unneeded stuff.

There is a $25 pre-registration fee if paid with cash or check and a $30 fee is paid via credit card or same day registration. Anything a vendor makes after paying the registration fee is kept for them.

Nagel explained, “every booth is two parking spaces. All of our expenses are paid for first, then everything else we make goes to Ohlone.” She went on to say, “ I don’t know how much it is because I don’t care, it would probably make me paranoid. Over the years, it’s been a lot of money.”

If anyone is interested in having a booth at the event, contact Elaine Nagel at enagel@ohlone.edu or at (510) 659-6285. To everybody else interested in attending the event, it will be from 8a.m. to 2p.m. in parking lot E. A $2 parking permit fee is required for to park on campus.

Blood, Sweat and Tears plus Earth, Wind and Fire

By Anika Dokes Staff writer Searching for an event to attend and get those creative juices flowing?

If you enjoy various types of music ranging from country, jazz, rock, R&B soul, then prepare to be entertained.

Ohlone’s Jazz and Rock Combo class presents its final concert of the spring semester on Friday, May 21.

The concert will include performances by the combo on Thursday and Friday afternoons. This will be the combo’s fifth show this

semester You’ll hear the horns featured tunes by Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire and Blood Sweat & Tears.

In addition, you will also hear songs Michael Buble, jazz songs, Hendrix classics, country standards, Portuguese fado and even a cappella groups.

Some ensembles are as small as two people-some as large as 16.

Mostly cover tunes along with a few original compositions.

Tim Roberts, who is the director of the Ohlone Jazz / Rock Combo class also teaches Theory, Fundamentals, Musicianship, Songwriting, Pro tools, History

of Rock and Roll and the Jazz/ Rock Combo classes at Ohlone.

In addition, Commercial Music is his area of specialty.

This is Roberts’s sixth year of being a full-time director, who started as an adjunct faculty member in 1998.

The Jazz/Rock Combo classes are open to any musicians such as singers, guitars, horns and drums.

Students are grouped together into bands and learn the essentials of a variety of styles, such as Rock, Funk, Jazz, Latin and an influx of other music.

Robert’s said, “The overview of

the concert is centralized around a variety of music ranging from surf to R&B to rock to country to jazz to a cappella beat boxing.”

Roberts went on to say, “players will use this opportunity to show off some of their talents not only their musical skills, but also their work on improvisation, stage presence, professionalism and survival in real-life performance situations.”

In addition, the second half of the class is a continuation of the first class but a more advanced level.

“When students aren’t working in a primary role, they’ll be playing percussion or singing background

vocals. Everyone stays busy. We’ll present a good two-and-half hours of music.”

Overall, since it’s the last performance of the year and final project, students will choose one ballad and one-up tempo tune to design, hang and run during the show as well as gather photos to put in their own portfolios.

Come out and show support for the Ohlone’s Jazz/ Rock Combo performances. This is an opportunity to see new performances by our very own students.

For more information, contact the Smith Center Box Office or visit www.smithcenter.com

Contest Winner

Medusa

By Roxanna Ramzipoor

M

ia Warner was eight years, nine months, and ten days old when she encroached upon the divine vision of the goddess Aphrodite; she was twelve years, eleven months, and ten days old when she incited the holy interest of the goddess Aphrodite; and she was nineteen years, nine months, and nine days old when she incurred the righteous fury of the goddess Aphrodite.

The duty slumps upon the sacred recesses of mortal thought to give pause to the mathematic and metaphoric significance of this sequence of ill tidings, but the granule of white-pure truth that remains at the bottom of the urn containing time, after the evaporation of all cosmic irrelevance, is that Mia Warner pissed off the goddess of love.

Whether said act of godly pissed-ness was intentional, unintentional, or a vindictive joke played by the man in the moon is a moot point.

What matters is that Aphrodite felt threatened. By the presence of a mortal. So, naturally, being one of the elder goddesses and a formidable power in the celestial court of the lord Zeus, the “awful and lovely goddess” saw fit to pursue – with the same quantity and quality of vitality and vigor that she used to pursue Ares, although that was an entirely different sort of pursuit – a logical course of action that was befitting this type of situation.

As Eos “spread her rosy fingers across the sky,” Aphrodite commenced, in earnest, to bitch at the hallowed feet of the lord Zeus.

“A girl,” she spat, the venom in her voice leaking green flame onto Zeus’s eardrums. “A human girl.”

Zeus sighed, tugging at his pallid beard with two massive fingertips.

“What else is new?”

“Indeed. The mortals have seen fit to rob me of what is rightfully mine since the beginning of time. Why should this era of human refuge be any different?”

“Aphrodite, you haven’t even been alive since the beginning of time.”

Aphrodite laughed shortly. “And you have, naturally.”

“Remember that I am the sole reason you came into being. Without me, you’d still exist, in parts, in two different locations. And I don’t think you’re particularly eager to return to either of them. Like it

or not, I am why you are, goddess.”

“You dare!” she screeched, her eyes widening. “You dare suggest that I exist only to serve you? That you are soul and center behind my name? Shall we all prostrate ourselves before the mighty and aging lord of lords, then?”

“Aphrodite, please. None of this bullshit so early in the morning.”

“Oh, has the king of the gods had a rough night?” the goddess sneered.

“A hard time sleeping, perhaps? Maybe I should speak to Hera.”

“Woman, do you want my help or not?!”

“Your help? It will be a cold day in Hades when I have to lower myself to beg assistance from you, lord of lords.”

“Yes, you’ve made that impeccably clear on more than one occasion.

Then what is it you want?”

“Your blessing. And only that.”

Zeus nodded. “For what? I’m not going to let you kill that girl, if that’s what you intend. The time in which we were able to perform such feats undetected has long since passed. If she’s too beautiful for you to look at, then don’t look at her. It works for me. It should be even easier for you.”

“Do you take me for an idiot? I don’t want to kill her.” Aphrodite’s eyes were very dark in the pale light. “She doesn’t deserve something as kind as death.”

“Then, I repeat, what is it that you want? For what do you need my blessing?”

“A curse.”

“Ah, I see. A curse.” Zeus fingered his beard. “Not very original.”

“You mock our ways?”

“I make our ways. I can mock them if I want to.”

“You did not create our ways. You are but one of many.”

“Uh huh. I’m reminded of that every week during our council meetings.” He shook his head, ample beard rustling against his chest. “Selfsuffering bureaucrats. It took me almost eighty years to figure out that that Hitler guy had the right idea.”

Aphrodite made a show of rolling her large, expressive eyes. “You didn’t even know who Hitler was until that episode on the History Channel last week, my lord.”

“That shows how little you truly know, Aphrodite. Hitler was my son.”

“Your son? Is everyone your son these days, lord Zeus?”

“Not you, Aphrodite.”

“Oh, holy shi—” catching herself,Aphrodite’s pale nostrils quivered as she breathed deeply the air of Mount Olympos, and tried again. “Mighty Zeus, sovereign of all known universes, purveyor of all existence, monarch of light and depth,” said the goddess, “cut the crap, give me your blessing, and you will be rid of me.”

Zeus regarded her gravely. “You’ll have it, as always. But one I have favor you must perform, and you have no choice but to do as I ask. One favor.”

“Name it,” she said, her lips barely parting, her words veiled by something less than a whisper, but hardly more than a breath.

“What is the nature of this curse? Tell me, and you will have my blessing.”

“Beauty,” said the goddess of love. “Pure

beauty.”

Mia Warner w a s nineteen years, nine months, and nine days old when she was levied with a terrible curse by the goddess of the foam. She lived in a small, suburban house in nowheresville, Ohio, had French fries and diet Coke for lunch every Wednesday, and saw a movie with her boyfriend every Saturday after dinner. Apsychology major whose successfully solitary accomplishment was her web blog, the Warner Corner, and whose necessarily narrow ambition was going somewhere, sometime. Mia Warner pissed off Aphrodite, and her name morphed into a grim tally mark on the goddess’s scoreboard.

“Mia?” Rob called, his voice sounding, to his own ears, small and tinny within the dim confines of the cramped living room. “Mia, you home?”

He felt stupid, but Rob spent about eighty-five percent of his life feeling stupid.

Maybe eighty, on a good day. It was Saturday, and

May 13, 2010 monitor

9

A contest for prose was initiated by Professor Karen Rosenbaum upon her retirement from the English Department nine years ago. The contest is held every spring. This year’s winner is Roxanna Ramzipoor. Her story, “Medusa” was chosen from many fine entries, but has been signaled out for its unique blend of wit, unique building on mythological reference and concurrent narrative. The work demonstrates mastery of description, dialogue and other attributes. The judging of this contest is never easy and all the entrants are thanked for their participation.

The Boyfriend had come to collect Mia for their weekly pilgrimage to the movie theater.

But she hadn’t answered the phone when he called, and she hadn’t answered the door when he knocked. After standing there on the front porch for a duration of time that was almost painful in its indefiniteness, feeling stupid, he let himself in.

Rob’s heart bludgeoned the interior of his throat in a grisly parody of a drum beat. The blinds were drawn, but besides that tiny detail, the house looked the way it always did. The air seemed stiff and still, smelling faintly of pot roast. Wiping a warm, slippery palm on the seat of his Jeans, Rob paused to glance at a tall, weathered statue the Warners must’ve just purchased in the past week, sometime since his last visit. He hadn’t known them to be particularly interested in sculptures.

Tilting his head slightly, glistening brow furrowed, Rob studied the statue with an intense focus that would’ve impressed the staunchest of glasses-on-nose art critics.

It looked a little like Mia’s dad, Andrew. Rob chuckled nervously, his voice catching in his throat. He must be going crazy.

The stairs creaked as he ascended in taut silence, causing a goofy smile to play across his moist, broad lips. It was all so fake, so weird.

So stupid.

Her bedroom door was slightly ajar, the faintest thread of sunlight casting shadows in darkness, so he tapped lightly on the doorframe with his knuckles, easing the faded white door open with the back of his left hand.

“Mia? Hey, what’s with the new statue thing?”

She was at her desk, by the broad window, her blond head lowered, her face concealed by the perfect shape of her arms. The outline of her sharply-chiseled features was vaguely visible in the old glass. Rob’s breath caught in his throat.

“Mia?” He swallowed. “Have you…did you…when did…did you do something to your hair? I mean…well, this is stupid…but…but…did you…you look…I mean…Mia?” Rob was blinking very rapidly.

“Rob,” she whispered, her voice hoarse, the lilt strained, as if she had been tasked to mourn the deaths of every soul to descend through the nine levels Hell for the past ten-thousand years. “R…R…Rob. G…Go. D…D…D…Don’t come ba..back. Don’t come back. Just…go.”

“Babe, what are you talking about?” He crossed the room in three quick bounds, seizing her by the shoulders. A current of channeled, concentrated electricity that would’ve made flames leap from the bolts sticking out of Frankenstein’s monster’s neck radiated through the skin of his palms. He pulled away, eyes leaping over the creases in his skin. His hands were unblemished. “Mia, what the hell—?” Grabbing her upper arm, Rob tried to turn her toward him.

“No, Rob, no!” She slapped at his hands, his arms, his face, her eyes clenched, her teeth bared. “No, no, God, no! No, God, please!”

“Just tell me what the hell’s going on—” “No, Rob, please, you can’t!”

Rob went limp, and then rigid, his blood-warmed hands taut and cold, his face etched in a twisted study of inner chaos.

He slid to the floor, and broke into a million tiny fragments of stone.

Mia’s eyes, wide and impassive, slid across the scuffed hardwood floor.

Upward they climbed, searching, beseeching, and lying in rest upon a mirror that hung near her narrow bed. One slender hand, pale like the pallor that launched a thousand ships, touched a rose-flecked cheek. Mia tapped her cheek experimentally. The woman in the mirror emulated this motion.

Part of her wondered why she didn’t turn to stone while gazing at a reflection of her own beauty. Part of her knew the answer, but fought to conceal it from her consciousness.

A clenched fist, crimson, as if stained by the unshed blood of a stone heart, inched towards the cursed glass. Quickly it drew back, and struck the mirror. The glass shattered, but did not fall from its frame. The hand struck the glass again, and again, and again. Mia did not feel the pain.

“I hope you’re happy, Aphrodite,” said Zeus, chewing on a greasy drumstick.

“I am content, my lord,” she said simply.

“Damn you, woman, I asked whether you were happy!”

“And I said that I am content, my lord.” Her mouth was set into a grim line.

Zeus sat his drumstick down on a gold platter. It clanged unpleasantly, reminding the lord of lords that his tableware was cast in as sincere an imitation as his own being. Wiping his oily fingertips on a once-white napkin, Zeus pursed his lips. “Okay, then, I’ll play your game. Why aren’t you happy?”

“Because of the girl. The human.”

“Why? You ruined her life. Isn’t that what you set out to do?”

“But she is still more beautiful than I.” “Was that not the point, goddess?”

“I suppose so, my lord.”

“And she’s even more miserable than you are,” muttered Zeus. “That ought to count for something.”

“Everyone who loves her will turn to stone. Everyone who recognizes her beauty will turn to stone.”

“Then why does she not turn to stone when she gazes at her own beauty?”

“Because she does not see it.”

“And that’s what troubles you, isn’t it?” prompted Zeus, a harsh smile creasing his cragged features. “When someone looks at her in love, they perish, having loved her. We immortals are incapable of feeling that level of attachment, because after a few thousand years, you learn to live without it.”

“We have no need for what those pathetic beings call ‘love’,” spat Aphrodite.

“But would you rather live another thousand years having seen nothing worth your love, or die now, having seen something that you loved with all your heart?”

“These mortals are always being consumed by something they see as beautiful. It will never change.”

“No, goddess. It will never change.”

10 MONITOR

Campus Events

May 13, 2010

May 13 Learning Disabilities informational meeting, seminar, workshop, conference, presentation, forum, 1 p.m., Room 7107, Fremont campus, and 4:30 p.m., Room NC1122, Newark campus.

13 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) meeting, 4-5 p.m. in Room 116, Smith Center. For more information, contact Mark Brosamer at mbrosamer@ohlone.edu.

13 Student Rep Second Bill by Ohlone College’s Theatre and Dance Department, Thursday - Saturday, at 8 p.m., NUMMI Theatre, Smith Center. Tickets $10 and $12 at the Box Office.

14 Science Seminar: Math in the Movies by Jeff O’Connell, Jackson Theater, Gary Smith Center for the Fine and Performing Arts.

Bill by Ohlone College’s Theatre and Dance Department, Thursday - Saturday, at 8 p.m., NUMMI Theatre, Smith Center. Tickets $10 and $12 at the Box Office.

14 Ohlone Renegades Baseball Team faces will the Merced Blue Devils in the Super Regional matchup at Ohlone at 3 p.m. The winner of that game will play the winner of Chabot/ Diablo Valley on Saturday.

14 Freshmen ConnectionDay 2010 for high school seniors, all day, Ohlone Newark Center.

14 Fremont Symphony - All-Broadway Pops 8 p.m., Jackson Theatre, Smith Center. Tickets may be purchased from the Fremont Symphony website at http://www.fremontsymphony.org 15 Ohlone Symphony Orchestra, 2 p.m., Jackson Theater.

14 Student Rep Second 15 Ohlone Wind Orches-

tra, 5 p.m., Jackson Theater.

17 Freshmen Connection Day 2010, first floor, Hyman Hall, Fremont Campus, 3:30 p.m. This is an added session, due to high demand.

18 HIV testing clinic, Student Health Center, 11 a.m. Room 7302, Building 7, Fremont Campus.

5209, Fremont Campus.

20 Memorial for Pilar Lewis – A Celebration of Her Life, 3:30 p.m., Jackson Theater.

20 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) meeting, 4 p.m., Room 116 in the Smith Center.

21 Spring 2010 semester instruction ends.

21 Jazz/Rock Combos performance, 7 p.m., Jackson Theater, The horn section will be featured on tunes by Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, and Blood Sweat & Tears. There’ll be Michael Buble jazz songs, Hendrix classics, country standards, Portuguese fado, plus a cappella groups.

There will be tunes by Alkaline Trio, Pink, Dream Theater and Paramore.

18 Inter Club Council (ICC) meeting. 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 7101.

18 ASOC meeting. 4-5 p.m. in Room 7101.

19 Ohlone Foundation Executive Board meeting.

8 a.m.

19 Freshmen Connection Day 2010, first floor, Hyman Hall, Fremont Campus, 3:30 p.m. This is an added session, due to high demand.

20 Safety Committee meeting, 3 p.m., Room

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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

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Page 11

Back to the Super!

Ohlone moves forward

By Jeff Weisinger Editor-in-chief For a team that entered the playoffs riding a nine-game win streak, the Renegades made the Regional round against the 14th seed Modesto Pirates feel this past weekend like the College World Series.

The first two games saw two shutouts and two complete games while the third game saw a classic shootout with the Renegades coming out on top 8-7 to advance to this weekend’s Super Regional matchup Friday afternoon against the Merced Blue Devils.

Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year Roberto Padilla led the Renegades to a 9-0 win in Friday’s playoff opener. The lefty hurled his first postseason complete game, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts.

“I just stayed ahead in the count and was able to go to my go-to pitches in the count,” Padilla said after Friday’s game-one win.

“He established himself today as one of the elite pitchers in Northern California,” said Ohlone Head Coach Jordon Twohig. “He established himself in the first two innings.”

Padilla’s gem on the mound was backed up by some early run support as sophomore shortstop

Michael Ussery opened the scoring in the second with a two-RBI double down the right field line scoring Kyle Holmstrom and Tanner Laran.

“It’s huge to have our sophomore shortstop to drive in runs from that seven-spot in the lineup,” Twohig said.

Ryan Walterhouse capped the three-run, second inning with an RBI single to left field, bringing home Ussery from third.

“I like playing with a few runs,” Padilla added. “It puts less pressure on me. But having runs while you’re out there is big.”

The Renegades took full control of Pirates right-hander Vince Roberts in the fifth inning, going up 6-0 off Jeff Johnson’s towering three-run homer to left. They would strike for three more in the sixth inning off Cody Foster’s RBI double to left and Zach Johnson’s two-RBI single off reliever Nick McCann to solidify their 9-0 win.

“It was a big win,” Padilla said.

“I think it sets the tone.”

However the Pirates stormed back in game two, holding the Renegade lineup to just five hits and rocking right-hander Justin Kuks for five runs after just 4 1/3 innings in Modesto’s 6-0 win to tie the series at 1-1.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Renegade righty Matt Fonatine pitched well though 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision in Ohlone’s game-three win over Modesto.

Home runs by Modesto’s Austin Keaton and Blake Usiak highlighted the game two rally by the Pirates, and Pirates ace Terrance Marin went the distance, allowing just the five hits while striking out 10.

And then came game three.

Riding the momentum from the second game just an hour before, the Pirates took the first shot against Ohlone and game three starter Matt Fontaine, striking for two runs in the game’s opening frame off Blake Barber’s two-run home run.

The Renegades would answer back with a run of their own in the bottom of the first off a Zach

Johnson sacrifice fly, scoring Steven Ramos, cutting the Pirates lead to 2-1, and would tie the game at two in the fourth inning off Kyle Holmstrom’s sacrifice fly. Ohlone would eventually take a go-ahead 4-2 lead in the sixth off Michael Di Rocco’s RBI-double and Walterhouse’s RBI sacrifice bunt.

The Renegades’ rally wouldn’t last long though after Michael Cerda put the Pirates up 5-4 off a three-run homer off Fontaine with one out in the seventh.

Freshman reliever Mark Mercer struggled to get out of the seventh as well, and Geroge Asmus allowed Eddie McGrath to score on a passed ball to put Modesto up

6-4. Modesto tagged Asmus in the eighth to go up 7-4.

But in the bottom of the eighth, a two-RBI triple by Ussery sparked a four-run Renegade rally. Walterhouse scored Ussery from third to tie the game at seven, and Foster’s sacrifice fly gave Ohlone the goahead 8-7 lead.

Padilla shut the door on Modesto in the ninth to preserve the win, getting Barber to groundout to third for the final out.

Ohlone will now face the Merced Blue Devils in Friday’s Super Regional matchup at Ohlone at 3 p.m. The winner of that game will play the winner of Chabot/Diablo Valley on Saturday.

Four Renegades moving to the next level

By Kevin Yin Staff writer Reggie Jones, Scott Clark, Quaran Johnson and Jamaal Blalock will be taking their talents to the next level.

Those four players from Ohlone’s men’s basketball team have signed letters of intent to attend four-year colleges next year. Jones will be attending Stanislaus State University, Clark is going to Humboldt State University, Johnson to Metro State University and Blalock is headed to Virginia Union University.

Jones was the state’s Co-Player of the

Year this past season. He averaged 14.5 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 1.8 blocks per game, 1.0 steals per game and shot 61.6 percent from the field. He led Ohlone in scoring, blocks and field goal percentage this year.

“Reggie was the Northern California player of the year. Had he been eligible to go to Division I, he would have probably been a mid to high major. He just doesn’t have any Division I eligibility left,” Ohlone Head Coach John Peterson said. “They’re getting a very good player.”

Clark was named to the All-Coast Conference first team for the 2009-’10 season. He

averaged 10.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 2.6 assists per game and shot 32.2 percent from behind the three-point line.

Johnson received an honorable mention on the All-Coast Conference team while averaging 6.0 points per game and a team high 3.9 assists per game. Johnson shot 53.8 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc.

In addition to those four players, Peterson said he expects that four more Ohlone players will sign on to play for four-year schools, but have yet to decide where they are headed.

According to Peterson, over the last 10 years, Ohlone has helped more than 60 players get

to the four-year level, including 10 players last year alone.

Peterson said that Ohlone’s ability to consistently help players reach the next level has helped the school attract talented players.

“I think it’s the goal of every junior college player to go to a four-year school and play,” said Peterson. “We spend an inordinate amount of time marketing our guys. I think when people take a look at our program and they see that our guys are moving on and getting scholarships, and that’s what they want to do, it makes us a little more attractive.”

Runyon’s girls enjoy an accomplished year

By Nick Zambrano Sports editor It was a great season for Ohlone Softball Head Coach Donna Runyon. Aside from the gut-wrenching loss to Feather River nearly two weeks ago, she has plenty of positives to look back upon.

For instance, the Lady Renegades dominated the Coast Conference - North Division with their 14-2 record. They finished with an overall record of 27-11-1. Ohlone also won their eighth consecutive conference title. The last time the Lady Renegades failed to come away with a conference title was 2002.

The pressure to perform this season was nothing short of mammoth.

The 2009 squad set the bar high as they went 39-10 (16-1 in conference play) and made it to the state

finals. The Ohlone team from ‘09 also boasted pitcher Kelly Colker, a two-time Conference Pitcher of the Year. Colker finished her career in Fremont collecting an imposing record of 51-13.

A staple in Ohlone’s game plan under Runyon has always been solid pitching. Since 2006, an Ohlone pitcher has won the Conference Pitcher of the Year award four times. So replacing someone of Colker’s stature was going to be detrimental to following up the ‘09 campaign.

Enter Jessica Varady.

The freshman from Livermore High came to Ohlone after helping her team to a North Coast Section Division I title. Runyon had hoped of Varady would create a formidable 1-2 punch on the mound with sophomore Kendall Beermann.

However, with Beermann still

lingering from an shoulder injury, Runyon was forced to rely heavily on the highly-touted Varady.

“Yeah, I felt a lot of pressure,” Varady said. “It was just like ‘okay, now I have to do this. I have to do her job as well as my job and just try to pick myself up and try to do the best that I could.’”

Her response to the call was nothing short of staggering.

Varady finished the season with a personal record of 25-6 and displayed some equally impressive numbers as well. On top of leading the conference in innings pitched (194) and complete games (26), Varady blew away hitters for 141 strikeouts. The second pitcher behind her only had 76 K’s to her name.

With those numbers she easily earned the 2010 Conference Pitcher of the Year as well as a spot on

the All-Conference and All-State teams.

At the dish, Ohlone drastically improved their numbers. They managed to lead the league in most major categories including batting average and runs batted in. Among the top 10 hitters in the league, four of them belong to the Lady Renegades. Varady found herself leading the conference with her .442 average.

Fellow freshman Stefanie Hatley, Paulina Gentry and Ashley Nahale were the other three in the top 10.

Another difficult task Runyon will have to face is replacing the eight sophomores that anchored the squad. Nahale is awaiting word on a possible scholarship from the University of Hawaii while Gentry and Shelby Tomasello are most likely to hang up their spikes when they

move on to Sacramento State.

However, Runyon played her cards right and had a perfect balance of freshmen and sophomores on the team. Varady and Hatley will provide her with a solid punch in the middle of lineup, along with their proven leadership. Other notables returning next season will be Megan Ramirez and Candace Christiansen.

There will still be numerous gaps to fill, but Runyon is already on top of her game. She has already gotten eight recruits to commit to Ohlone.

The recruit most notable would be Castro Valley High pitcher Lauren Ermitano. Ermitano (124) could help Varady with some protection in the rotation and possibly form another duo that could get Ohlone back to the promised land.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Page 12

Renegades springing into action A few quality shots from the semester with Ohlone Renegade Athletics. From left, Stefanie Hatley, Candace Christiansen, Paulina Gentry, Crystal Hewitt and Mariah Jones look to the flag before game two of the Northern California Regional Playoffs against the Feather River Golden Eagles. The Lady Renegades fell short with their comeback attempt, falling to the Golden Eagles, 7-6.

Swing away By nick zambrano Sports editor

A writer or a fan?

Photo by Alex Glanville

Photo by Alex Glanville

First baseman Megan Ramirez slides into home against Chabot College.

Photo by Alex Glanville

Crystal McGlaughlin surveys what the defense is giving her on the inbound.

Photo by Alex Glanville

Quaran Johnson slips through Yuba College defenders in the Sweet 16 match-up.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Sophomore Josh Johnson sets to dive in for a run.

Photo by Alex Glanville

Scott Clark spots up for a three-pointer against City College of San Francisco.

Photo by Alex Glanville

The women’s swim team splashes into the pool in a conference meet.

As journalists, we’re taught to remain detached from our stories. To never get personally involved. To stay unbiased.

I, however, have unknowingly stumbled over that fine line. What really began as just another job evolved into something more. I became more than a beat reporter.

I became a fan.

How did it get to be that way?

I don’t know, it just happened.

This could be attributed to the fact that before I even put the pen to paper, that I was always a sports fan. In essence, it could be the natural swing of things.

I remember opening the semester with the men’s basketball team and just watching them mesh together as a complete package that made it all the way to the Elite 8.

I recall watching that Elite 8 game online and at times found myself yelling at the screen like I was watching a Warriors’ game.

On top of that, center Reggie Jones’ story is reminiscent of a Hollywood movie. You never would have known about his past through the spirit and tenacity he revealed on the court.

I caught the fever once again when softball season got into the swing of things. I watched Jessica Varady transform herself from a raw freshman to a grizzled workhorse. She embraced the role when Kendall Beermann continued to ail from a shoulder injury that kept her out for most of the season.

Varady had one of the biggest highlights of the year as well when she tossed a no-hitter against Cabrillo College on March 9. It isn’t the big show, but nevertheless a no-hitter is still an unbelievable feat to witness.

I couldn’t help myself during Shelby Tomasello’s walk-off grand slam on “sophomore day,” I was jumping around with the parents in the stands. Her last regular season home game and she hits a walk-off grand salami to win it.

Totally awesome.

How could I not become more than a writer with all the great things happening around me?

I’ve been around the game for a while and I’ve covered a wide variety of sporting events, but none have been as much fun as the things I’ve had to cover while at Ohlone.

It’s sad to see the semester come to an end because I feel that I’ve been bestowed with all of the amazing things that have occurred.

Because of what has happened to me I am no longer just a writer, I am also, more importantly, a fan.