Monitor 2012-3-1

monitor

ohlone college Vol. XLIII No. 4

ohlonemonitoronline.com Fremont, California

March 1, 2012

‘February Surprise’ may lead to fiscal Titanic

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION AMY SCOTT/ MONITOR

By MANIKA CASTERLINE Editor-in-Chief

Ohlone President Gari Browning and Scott Thomason, who serves as the interim chief executive officer, believe that the college is in good financial shape, but reiterated that by all means Ohlone is still on the top of a sinking ship during Monday’s budget forum.

Mid-year budget cuts were triggered by Gov. Jerry Brown in January and had been anticipated prior to the governor’s announcement.

In February, further adjust-

ments were made to the budget analysis for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Last week, California Community Colleges Vice-Chancellor Dan Troy added that the deficit factor would increase by 2.2 percent and total in at 3.4 percent.

California Community College League President Scott Lay said the total of $564 million in budget cuts to the entire community college system was the governor’s “February Surprise.”

The trigger of $102 million in cuts is tacked on to what was initially projected by

the state, which amounts to a further workload reduction of 2 percent.

Workload reduction is ongoing cost-cutting measure that Ohlone has taken as a precaution in a rough fiscal environment and has leading to Ohlone being comparably stable according Thomason.

Browning explained what workload reduction and deficit factor tangibly translate into because they are easily confused with one another.

“The deficit factor is when we get money from the state they promise at a certain level, but they don’t have any money

because the economy is at a certain level so they give us less money for this year,” Browning said “It is unlike a workload reduction, which is an ongoing reduction in the number of students that we can serve and what is happening is that it is a lot worse than we or any of the other colleges had planned,” she said.

According to Thomason, most of the other community colleges had created their budgets for the current year assuming that the deficit factor would be only 1 percent.

However, Ohlone used a 2.5

percent deficit factor and took into account mid-year cuts when the budget was created.

“There are uncertainties for the current year. We have a deficit factor that includes an impact in loss of enrollment fees with the Board of Governors fee waiver. When more students apply for the BOG waiver, there is less revenue for the state,” Thomason said.

While there was discussion that the mid-year cuts would include a tuition increase of $10 more per unit from $36 to $46, negotiations settled that the price hike would not occur in until summer 2012.

Students set to march against budget cuts

By MANIKA CASTERLINE Editor-in-Chief

MANIKA CASTERLINE / MONITOR

Students will march from Raley Field in Sacramento to the all day March in March event that will take place outside of the state Capitol building.

With budget cuts across the state and impending cuts threatening higher education, students and educators are raising their voices in defense of their interests.

In its sixth year, the March in March rally this Monday in Sacramento has become an annual event that joins diverse organizations from across California to spread the dialogue about budget cuts.

Ohlone’s Faculty Senate and the United Faculty of Ohlone union have endorsed the event and have encouraged participation in it.

The Civic Engagement Club in conjunction with ASOC is planning to send an Ohlone contingent to the event.

Heather McCarty, who is the faculty adviser for the Civic Engagement Club, sent a reminder to the Ohlone

community on Monday.

McCarty said that there are three things that faculty can do in support of the event.

“Don’t penalize students who are participating in the march and announce in your classes that you won’t penalize them if they go,” McCarty said.

She said that teachers should consider giving up at least five minutes of their instructional time to have an ASOC representative announce the details of the event.

If they are willing to give up their time they can contact ASOC’s Manav Shah by email, mshah@theasoc.com.

ASOC will provide free transportation for anyone who wants to go to Sacramento. The buses will depart from the Palm Bosque area at 7:30 a.m. and return from Sacramento around 4 p.m.

For more details please visit theasoc.com/march.

OPINIONS ohlone college monitor Contraception:

2 monitor March 1, 2012

Editor-in-Chief: Manika A. Casterline Features editor: Ashley Lam Opinions editor: Joe Nichols Online editor: Isabella Ohlmeyer Photo editor: Staff writers: Thomas Phy, Marra-Marie Magsakey, Heather Hegeman, Deeba Nabizad and Allen Krimmel Distribution manager: Joe Nichols Photo staff: John Hughes, Andrew Evans, Sophia Vaughn, Claire Ewing and Shamir Ejaz Graphics: Amy Scott and Scott Pegueros Ad manager: Jamie Madamba Ad staff: Amy Park and Ryan Deguzman Adviser: Jeanie R. Wakeland Printer: FP Press

Is it a human right?

Should it be legislated?

By HEATHER HEGEMAN Staff writer

left in the hands of the individual, not made by an autocratic and impersonal In this modern day and governing body. age free and easy access to To those who argue that birth control should be a this act impedes on relibasic human right. gious freedom I would like We as a people have stood to mention that Obama’s together to fight for social Affordable Care Act already progress, yet today a womexcludes strictly religious an’s right to have control institutions such as churchover her own body is in es. question.

Another compromise has It is both a sexist and age- also already been made ist assumption that college that allows the intuitions to level students would not be provide a health plan that capable of making the judg- provides contraception free ment call to avoid the use of of charge instead of stipucontraception if that is what lating that they themselves strict adherence to their must pay for it. religious beliefs call for.

Not every employee, The mandate also protects student or patient associated the rights of students attend- with these organizations are ing these religiously affiliat- religious and their health ed institutions who have no should not be jeopardized personal ties to the religion, simply because of their why should they be denied bosses or deans beliefs.

Contact us: contraception based on the Birth control is not only beliefs of the governing pow- used as a contraceptive, it is Offices: Room 5310 ers of these establishments. a simple and comparatively Call: 510.659.6075 Faith based colleges harmless solution to many E-mail: should not drop student severe health problems that monitor@ohlone.edu health care based on Obam- plague woman today. PolyRead: as mandate. The extremely cystic ovarian syndrome, http://www.facebook.com/ personal decision to use endometriosis and some Ohlone.Monitor contraception should be types of cancer have all

Letters

Associated Collegiate Press / National Scholastic Press Association All American 1984 1987 1990

1985 1988 1991

1986 1989 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 Opinions expressed in the Moniare 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 Collegeand 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. tor

been proven to be helped by birth control. With this recent debate many new sources are citing the story of Georgetown law alum who sought a birth control prescription for treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome which her school denied.

She was forced to pay $100 dollars monthly outof-pocket, which eventually she could not afford, the young woman developed a cyst which resulted in surgical removal of her ovary and a permanent loss of fertility.

Due to this woman’s decision to attend a faith-based university she lost the ability to conceive a child.

No woman should ever be faced with this heart-breaking situation.

This week I am challenging readers to go beyond simply paying attention to the issues that affect the world around you, now is the time to take action.

The coalition to protect women’s health care has come up with a way to ensure that everyone that has a chance to voice their opinion.

Go to the website I have listed below to upload a thirty second to two minute video of yourself, telling congress what birth control means to you.

For more information on what to include in the video go to www.coalitiontoprotectwomenshealth.org. or youtube.com a search I Have A Say.

Financial Aid department checks in Dear Editor: We are writing in response to the Feb. 9 article published in the Ohlone Monitor regarding the Financial Aid Office.

Why was such an inflammatory headline written for an article that for the most part, answered the staff writer’s question: “Why were the financial aid checks late?”

The headline does a disservice to the professional integrity and commitment of the Financial Aid Office staff to Ohlone students.

As Deborah Griffin, Financial Aid Director, explained to [Monitor staff writer Deeba Nabizd] the financial aid checks were not late for those students who completed their paperwork, maintained satisfactory academic progress and were not on excessive unit disqualification.

Nabizd also left out the statement that we advise students not to depend solely on financial aid to buy textbooks.

We advise students not to depend on financial aid as their primary source of income.

Students are advised to develop a budget and plan in advance how to purchase or rent their textbooks and pay for other expenses as the checks

are scheduled to be released the first week of class.

This information is posted on the Financial Aid website and the Financial Aid Handbook, and references are made to financial aid in the Ohlone Catalog and the Class Schedules.

For the 2011-2012 academic year, the Financial Aid office has received 5,881 FAFSA applications. Out of those applications, 5594 students have received aid, which totals to $5,344,157 in Pell Grants and $1,131,685 in Direct Loans.

All applications and paperwork is done manually and on a case-by-case basis.

The Financial Aid staff works diligently every day to ensure students are receiving their grants and loans in a timely fashion.

The file completion dates are posted on the Financial Aid counters and on the web site.

The staff telephone and send emails to students regularly regarding the status of their financial aid file.

Many times we have phone numbers which are disconnected, email address which bounce back and mailing addresses which, are incorrect.

We depend on the contact information students provide to Admissions and Records to be accurate.

If a student has not updated their information, how can the Financial Aid Office be held responsible for an inability to communicate with the student?

The students who complain the most, and from whom the Financial Aid staff receives the most verbal abuse, are those who “feel they have a right to financial aid.”

These are the students who register for classes that they don’t complete with a G.P.A. of 2.0, who don’t complete 67 percent of their registered classes, and/or have reached their 90-unit cumulative limit of registered courses.

The Ohlone Financial Aid program is governed by laws from the U.S. Department of Education, the entity, that provides the money for the grants and loans.

Ultimately the money is from taxpayer dollars.

We take stewardship of these funds very seriously and work to ensure the grants and loans go to the students who are eligible to receive them.

The Financial Aid Office, in the past, attempted to

release financial aid checks prior to the start of each academic term, but it was discovered that a large number of students who received their checks never went to class and, thus, were given money under fraudulent statements provided by students.

We have experienced a major fraud ring over the past years, totaling $608,771, which is currently under prosecution.

In an attempt to reduce fraud in the future and protect tax dollars, financial aid checks are now released the first week of school.

We would hope that, in the future, the Monitor would take more care in the content of the Monitor and acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the Ohlone staff to its students rather than attempting to set up adversarial situations between students and staff.

Deborah Griffin Trang Banh Minh Dinh Janice Fonteno Thao Nguyen Spencer Washington Andrea Wright Letters Continued on Page 7

NEWS D.A. to discuss identity theft issues

March 1, 2012 monitor 3

“Citizens should able to use technology, but also have the knowledge to use it safely and wisely,” said O’Malley.

According to Javelin Strategy and Research, statistics show that in 2009, 11.1 million people were victims of identity theft, which is around 4.8 percent of the population.

The total value that was stolen was approximately $54 billion.

The average person spends an average of 21 hours and $373 out of their own pocket for the explicit purpose of theft prevention or resolving.

These statistics from Javelin Strategy and Research meant a 12 percent increase in theft from the previous year and according to the same statistics, the most likely criminal of identity theft is someone you already know.

O’Malley is a recognized expert in the advancement of Victims’ Rights and has also gained statewide and national recognition as an expert in areas such as Violence Against Women and interpersonal violence cases.

These types of cases have included sexual assault, do-

mestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, stalking and threat management.

O’Malley is an expert in ethics and discovery and has written statewide protocols in those areas.

As an attorney in the District Attorney’s office since 1984, she attained the title of chief assistant district attorney in 1999.

Nancy O’Malley will be presenting for the Ohlone College World Forum, a free forum inaugurated in Spring of 2005 for the purpose of bringing speakers to the community to engage in dialogue on important global issues affecting the community including immigration and poverty.

For more information on O’Malley, visit the Alameda County website at www.alcoda.org.

selves for their next steps in attending Ohlone College.

Wright welcomed the counselors.

He went straight into speaking about the state budget and how Ohlone is faced with uncertainty this year in planning out summer and fall schedules due to the nationwide budget cuts.

Wright told counselors to inform students about going online, registering and applying to Ohlone College so if they are intending to take summer courses there will be fewer registration problems.

“Students leaving high school who want to come to Ohlone should not have a problem, if they are prepared,” said Wright.

Registration is free.

However, students must pay for tuition.

That deposit is only returned to them if they decide to drop any classes.

Wright also confirmed that College Connect, a program

that allows high school students to take college courses, will continue.

Travenick followed up on registration information and called it a “hand- off or transition meeting.”

Travenick said that if students wait on registering for classes, they will struggle.

Feb. 27 was the day when new students who plan to attend Ohlone College in the summer of 2012 or fall of 2012 could begin to send in their applications.

“The sooner students send in applications, get ID cards, the better,” said Travenick.

Freshman days will be available for students and parents to get a head start on their upcoming semester.

Parents are encouraged to attend freshman days with their soon-to-be college student.

Diane Cheney, learning disabilities specialist and instructor, discussed how students with disabilities may or may not be provided with

as much assistance as some expect.

Although students with disabilities do get priority registration over all other students registering, they will only get this priority if they bring their completed documents to the DSPS office and have the documents be approved by the DSPS staff by April 6.

Cheney also said that parents who have been very involved in their students’ life throughout their educational career must learn to let go once the student enters college.

Freshman days, which are posted on the Ohlone College website, help with addressing these topics to parents to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Ohlone counselors stressed the importance of the Ohlone College website; they asked the high school counselors to use the website as a reference and resource while meeting with their students for clearer understanding.

By SCOTT PEGUEROS Staff writer

Like a virgin Sex sells and appears to be the issue that is being used as a key selling point in the 2012 election season.

Now I really thought that like 1992, this particular election cycle would be about the economy... stupid.

Perhaps in thinking that, I’m being intensely naive about the importance of where individuals seek their satisfaction when a capitalistic society has screwed them over and that’s that there is a wider context in individuals screwing each other.

What is going on between the sheets in the privacy of our own homes has become the top talking point.

Sex is hardly a virgin when it comes to hooking up with politics.

For example in the 1990s, then President Bill Clinton said that he did not have “sex” with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

The scandal inevitably led to a national discussion about deposits on a blue dress and was a distraction from substantive issues.

This time however, the sexual matters that are at the forefront of dominating current affairs aren’t over the dilemma of high profile infidelity.

The contraceptive mandate that was included as part of Obama’s heath care initiative would have required religious affiliated universities and hospitals to provide their employees access to affordable contraceptives such as the pill Obama’s compromise has sent conservatives into a moral frenzy when the intent amounted to foreplay in that hopefully both parties will walk away satisfied.

Another piece of legislation that has been in the public spotlight is Virginia’s personhood bill, which would have defined an embryo as being a person and has died in its state senate as of now.

These two moral and social battles suggest how far we haven’t come in regards to progress from the sexual revolution.

Women are still letting primarily male politicians dominate the conversation regarding reproduction and health care.

Aside for engaging in the act of sex, once a male pulls out it is not his body that feels the physical consequences nor should they men the loudest legislators.

In the first few months of 2012, while security improves to counteract identity theft and high tech crimes, identity thieves can also learn and adapt their hacking programs and methods just as fast.

However, as with preventing anything else from crimes to disease, awareness is a key deterrent to high tech crimes such as hacking and identity theft.

District Attorney for Alameda County, Nancy O’Malley, is going to come to Ohlone for a seminar on high tech crimes and identity theft.

O’Malley will present on March 6 at noon with a question-and-answer session afterwards in the Jackson Theatre, Smith Center, of the Fremont Campus.

D.A Nancy O’ Malley

Counselors collaborate on transitions from high school to higher education

By DEEBA NABIZAD Staff writer

Ohlone counselors helped their high school colleagues transition future college students in an annual four-hour long conference on Feb. 23.

Counselors from James Logan High School, Washington High School and more attended the conference organized by Nadia Dadgar and other Ohlone College counselors in order to learn about Cal Grants, college funding, financial aid, personal development courses and transferring standards.

This information was to help counselors inform their high school seniors or incoming freshmen to prepare for their future educational careers.

Speakers such as Jim Wright, president of academic ffairs and Ron Travenick, vice president for Student Services were present and spoke about what students needed to do to prepare them-

FEATURES Oscars change the face of the film industry 4 monitor March 1, 2012

less of the staging and the host, it is the content that is the most important part. And in many respects, it is the content of the ceremony that raised the “The Artist.” “A Separation.” “Midmost controversy and dissatisfaction. night in Paris.” All are names that beWithin hours of the show, articles longed to some of the movies nominated and editorials were printed online and honored at the 2012 Academy Awards. evaluating the decisions and nominaOn top of these films, dozens of others were recognized for their contributions to tions made throughout the course of the film industry. the night. Critics called out against the However, how many of these nominated choices in several categories. titles are films that members of the American Not only against the movies that were public actually went to see? featured, but also those that were exHow many movies that are given awards cluded and not given a chance to receive are familiar to the national audience? suitable recognition.

Every year, millions of Americans gather During the Academy Awards, the actors and films that are nominated are with friends and family to watch what without a doubt the best the industry has been in the past, the biggest night has to offer. in film.

At the same time, there is no Each ceremony in past years has been doubt that many actors and acnotable for its own hits and misses in film, and its own successes and surprises. tresses, movies and documentaries deserved more praise than they However, this year’s Academy were given.

Awards elicited criticism and quesThe film of the year, “The tions that extends beyond the awards show itself.

Artist,” while a masterpiece of cinema, has been cited as Regardless of the people presentGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION ing each award and category, regard- SCOTT PEGUEROS / MONITOR the second lowest grossing

By BEN ROSETE Contributing writer

COMMENTARY movie to receive this annual distinction from the Academy Awards. Gary Oldman, a seasoned actor, was thought by some to have merited an Oscar for his performance in “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.” However, this was not the case. The finale of the ”Harry Potter” series which was also a prominent part of the past decade’s popular culture, seemed to be forgotten.

Naturally the Academy Awards were not able to meet the expectations of all of its viewers. However, many feel that many films were under represented at the awards.

It has been perceived that some films were simply not recognized in the ceremony for whatever reason.

This is just some of the criticism that was raised against

the Academy just this year.

Many have criticized the awards for being out of touch with culture, more than ever blind to the expectations and wishes of the audience.

But, in the end, art remains a concept defined differently from one person to another as art all in all comes down to a personal preference.

Movies as art, although viewed and critiqued by the public, are personal in their experience and interpretation.

Whether or not individual is a supporter of this year’s Oscars, the Awards were reflective of 2011.

The 84th Academy Awards, perhaps more than ever, had something to say about the changing face of the film industry and its audience, whether they are praising or scrutinizing.

Mencher’s reception was a night of mystery

By ASHLEY LAM Features editor

It’s a chilly evening as friends and couples, young and old, flock into the Smith Center. This may seem like a typical gallery reception, but one hint that this is different is that attendees sport extravagant costumes.

Women arrive in feathered boas, faux pearl necklaces and bouncing old Hollywood curls.

If not with friends, they are accompanied by men dressed in classic shirts and ties, some in fedoras, each unique in their own way.

Kenney Mencher’s “Renovated Reputations” reception on Feb. 25 was a night filled with excitement. The inviting gallery space is filled with antique furniture as live jazz music resonates from the back of the gallery, where there is a stage. There is a lot to take in: Mencher’s paintings, which fill the walls, captivate the audience, as some peer closer to get a better look and some stand back and look longingly into the distinctive pieces of art.

“I’m enjoying the exhibition. It’s like time travel. It brings me back to my grandmother’s living room,” said Laura Gonsalves, an Ohlone student.

The atmosphere is lighthearted, as the audience makes a buzz line for the photo booth, a definite popular attraction the whole night.

Friends and couples, young and old, pile into the booth and coming out with smiles and giggles.

Claire Tsai, a gallery assistant for the exhibition, said, “I

COURTESY OF/ KENNEY MENCHER

Musical entertainment at Mencher’s reception ‘Renovated Repuations” that took place on Feb. 25.

think it’s great that students from different classes can come together and enjoy the artwork and pastries, while having fun at the photo booth.”

Tsai explained that the setup of the exhibit took about a week as students helped to hang artwork and figure out what was the best way to create the vintage ambiance.

“I have been to Mencher’s previous exhibitions, and it’s great to see new faces,” said Tsai.

The night takes an unexpected twist when the acting students prepare themselves for their monologues that jibe with Mencher’s theme of fictional stories going hand in hand with his paintings.

“Tonight I will play a serial killer, named Gray Finder.

He is a 32-year-old physicist

with an intense interest in the human kind, and he has made it is hobby to explore science,” said Derek Wilson, an Ohlone acting student who is also a part of the student rep. Wilson said he has been practicing for this monologue in the past week, and he also took part in writing them.

The room quiets down when a young man dressed in suit and tie begins his monologue, introducing the serial killer Gray Finder. The audience is engaged in his monologue.

They listen in complete silence as the Ohlone student actor sets the stage for a nightlong mystery. When he is finished, the audience responds with an approving round of applause.

Very swiftly, the event segues into another monologue

COURTESY OF/ KENNEY MENCHER

Kenney Mencher, the artist, poses with a reception attendee.

as a young female in a fedora takes the stage. She builds upon the complexity of the story, revealing Gray Finder as the murderer of her character. Her monologue consists of rather gruesome details of her torturous murder, and the audience listens intently with wide eyes in a strange unison of silence.

Lastly, the character Gray Finder makes his entrance, immediately breaking out into monologue. He recites the line talking about his sister.

“I struck her in the head with a rock,” and the audience’s eyebrows raise and gasps come from around the room. The intensity is broken by a round of applause.

The actors come back to the stage for their bow.

“I want to thank Kenney who gave us all the opportunity to come together and showcase our talents. Thanks for the opportunity, we love you, dude,” said Wilson.

The room breaks out into laughter and the lively murmur begins again.

The bustle of audience coming to the exhibit does not show signs of dying down as the line for the photo booth extends all the way into the hallway. The grinning audience continues to munch on pastries while clutching their photo booth prints, painting the picture of a night full of mystery and quirkiness.

FEATURES Ohlone’s Student Rep takes the main stage

March 1, 2012 monitor 5

By ISABELLA OHLMEYER Staff writer

Get ready for three nights filled with fun, entertainment and splendid acting as the first bill of the Student Rep performances will be showcased March 7 to 9 at 8 p.m. in the Nummi Theatre at Ohlone.

The Student Rep performance class began in 1995. Additionally, this was the same time the Smith Center was built.

“The idea was to create a year long program for student directors, teaching the skills of artistic organization and overview of how a production is created as well as start to build student leadership within the program in the many facets of theater,” said Tom Blank, producer of the Student Rep shows.

While the Jackson Theatre in the Smith Center is occupied by high-end performers with years of experience in the arts, the Nummi Studio Theatre, according to Blank was “a perfect space to give students the opportunity to produce, direct, design and perform in their own season of plays.”

Student directors who direct two or more of the Student Rep shows, chose the one-act performance pieces to be showcased in the Spring.

The student directors of the shows hold auditions during the beginning of the spring semester for aspiring actors as well as students eager to try something new and be in a play.

“The best part about being a student director has got to be meeting and working with

all kinds of different folks with different backgrounds and passion. Student Rep is an experience you can’t quite find anywhere else” said student director of the show “A Chocolate Affair,” Bryan La. The student directors are required to take Blank’s Student Directing class.

Blank’s class will take place in the fall semester. Also it is required to take this class in order to be considered a director of the shows in the first place.

Hard work, passion and determination is demonstrated in preparation for the spring performances, said Blank.

“Not only are the student directors and actors prepared to relay all of their collaboration to an audience, the students in the lighting and stage design classes are looking forward to showing their diligent effort in this theatre process as well,” said Blank.

“My favorite part about Student Rep is watching young actors grow and develop and create something amazing” said Wesley Rou, theater arts with an emphasis on directing major and student director of “Ties that Bind” and “Breakfast at the Track.”

“I think they feel a bigger sense of ownership of this program in this program than any other because it combines students from the directing class, acting classes, stage management classes, lighting and sound classes and technical theater students creating and doing what they are learning in the

classroom and putting it out on a stage,” he said.

The other nine acts include a mother who stole the daughter’s Halloween candy “A Chocolate Affair.”

There is another act that shows a phone chain gone horribly and hysterically wrong in the play “Miss You.” Blank encourages all students to attend the Student Rep Bill 1 & 2 events.

“They should join if they want to create fun theater and work together with the most amazing group of students on campus in a project of great love,” Blank said.

Tickets can be purchased for $15 for general admission, including children and adults. However for Ohlone students, it costs $12. Tickets are now sold at the Smith Center’s box office or they can be purchased online at smithcenter.com.

ISABELLA OHLMEYER/ MONITOR

Stacey Lynn Bell and Diego Chavez, Student Rep actors, rehearse the one-act show titled “Breakfast at the Track.”

ISABELLA OHLMEYER/ MONITOR

Student actors Efren Gonzalez and Amanda Paull prepare their upcoming Srudent Rep performance, “Much Ado about Mutton,” which will be presented later this semester.

Film ‘For Colored Girls’ raises controversy

By SOPHIA VAUGHN Staff writer

“Being alive and being a woman is all I got, but being colored is a metaphysical dilemma I haven’t conquered yet” is powerful quote by the character Tangie in the movie “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Was Enuf.”

A movie written, directed it was adapted and produced

by Tyler Perry, adapted from a play by Ntozake Shange’s stage play in 1975.

The film was the Ohlone Book Club’s feature film for review on Feb. 26 in the library.

“For Colored Girls” is a great pick in honor of Black History month. This emotional drama

is a heart-wrenching story that does not leave out any of lives depicted from a African American woman’s world.

Nine women are confronted with trials and tribulations that include suicide, rape, abortion, sex, death, HIV, abuse, poverty, gay affairs, religion, economic and social status, infertility and molestation.

The character to be reckoned with is actress Phylicia Rashad, who plays a nosy apartment manager. She is the soul and motherly influence to several of the women.

Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton Whoopi Goldberg, Anika Noni, Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise and Kerry Washington all give phenomenal performances.

“And this is for Colored girls who have considered suicide, but are moving to the ends of their own rainbows,” says Shange.

In the play, two children are dropped out of a project building in New York City, murdered by their own alcoholic father.

This part of the movie portrays a war veteran that turns abusive to his wife and kids.

This happens when he has no more hope left for the future and drinking becomes his daily routine when he cannot find work.

Viewers who were hoping for the best for a young high school graduate on her way to college quickly find the character dealing with the devastation of an unplanned

pregnancy.

By the middle of the movie the audience may be in tears.

This can either relate to the harsh realities that the film portrays or simply because the story draws tears from the pain that woman around the world are faced with on a daily basis.

Poetry and quotes throughout the film inspire viewers, these include: “Somebody Anybody sing a black girl’s song bring her out to know herself to know you but sing her rhythms carin struggle hard times sing her song of life she’s been dead so long closed in silence so long she doesn’t know the sound

of her own voice her infinite beauty she’s half-notes scattered without rhythm no tune sing her sighs sing the song of her possibilities sing a righteous gospel let her be born let her be born and handled warmly.”

The story is set up so all nine woman cross paths in different aspects of life.

Happiness and love are not left out. Black love and marriage are portrayed by a couple struggling to conceive after his wife is scarred by a sexually transmitted disease.

For a powerful ending, these women have been put together to share their stories and become an uplifting movement.

NEWS

6 monitor March 1, 2012

Campus clubs seek to recruit new members

By MARRA-MARIE MAGSAKAY Staff writer

Ohlone College’s diverse campus connected together for the biannual Club Days event in the cafeteria on Feb. 28 and Feb. 29 with music, food and a variety of clubs.

This semester, the clubs was the main attraction. Campus Activities handed out a survey to students in which he or she collected stamps and initials of clubs they were interest in.

In return for the survey, ASOC provided free pizza and drinks. Students were scattered all over the room ready to see new and returning clubs.

The student host, Anthony Amboy, kept a good vibe with music and engaging announcements. This is the second time he has hosted Club Days.

Amboy, also the president of the Asian Pacific American Student Association, said that Clubs Days are important.

“There is a lot to do on campus. It is not just attending classes, students can have fun while being at Ohlone,” he said.

The club tables made a border along the walls of the cafeteria and each had something different to offer.

New clubs such as the Ohlone Art and Design Association, Astrophysics Club and Japanese Student Association that were chartered in fall 2011 were eager to welcome students as new members.

Each new club planned events throughout the se-

mester. For example: the Astrophysics Club’s upcoming event in March is Star Night. The club will provide telescopes to explore the stars at night of the Ohlone Newark Campus.

Returning clubs such as the Biology Club planned to be more active. Biology Club President Chi Wong said that last semester’s glow-in-thedark Mission Peak hike was a fun and club members hoped to do it again.

Wong plans to obtain guest speakers, as well as doing what they do, help biology students.

Puente Club is aimed to help minorities strive for higher education.

Elizabeth Ramirez, president of Puente Club, planned to take a field trip to UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis.

Puente Club also planned to have a workshop for parents about the college system.

“We want them to understand FAFSA and differences of the UC and state colleges,” Ramirez said.

Other familiar clubs such as Crossroads Christian Club, Gay Straight Alliance, Listo, Speech club, Psychology Club and others give students opportunities to learn and meet new people.

Student Vijay Jayant said, “I want to join but classes conflict.”

He was also surprised that there is not a music club.

Along these lines international student Michelle Edurano said, “[I] look forward to going to the meetings MARRA-MARIE MAGASKAY / MONITOR as long as it doesn’t affect my Top: APASA Vice President Nancy Liu teaches students how to play with the Chinese yo-yo. schedule.”

Bottom: Students stand in line for their pizza and drink from ASOC and Campus Activities.

Learn your way around the library Vampires and zombies can lead players to prizes

By JOHN HUGHES Photographer

Ohlone College librarian Kathy Sparling and Emily Grantz, learning resources technician, have developed unique methods of helping students to get acquainted with the Ohlone Library.

In the fall semester, they developed an “Occupy the Library” theme.

Students had to use their smart phones and go on a scavenger to hunt clues to answer questions about the different resources that the library has to offer them.

This spring semester, the theme is vampires and zombies.

The Zombies, (the Newark campus) are having another scavenger hunt with their library. At the Fremont campus, the Vampires have different questions.

“The purpose of the scavenger hunt is for students to

have an orientation to the resources available at the library by using your smart phone,” Grantz Grantz said.

Among the puzzles? “The book drop, interaction with the librarian at the information desk and the library hours,” she said.

Students can earn prizes for participating in the scavenger hunt. “They can earn swag, and we’re offering four lime green Apple iPod Shuffles,” Grantz said.

The contest will be going on until March 16.

ASOC discusses debit card task force

By ALLEN KRIMMEL Staff writer

JOHN HUGHES / MONITOR

Top: Ohlone’s Learning Resources Technician Emily Grantz urges students to learn more about the resources available with a scavenger hunt to slay vampires in the Ohlone Library and earn prizes.

Left: Ohlone library’s vampire hunt is for students to get acquainted with the resources available to them.

Student senators determined their priorities and assignments for the spring semester at Tuesday’s ASOC meeting.

The most notable of subjects was that of the student debit card task force. This particular group has made it its primary focus for students to receive an Ohlone debit card.

The purpose of this debit card would be to disperse any financial aid received onto the debit card, so that it will be acquired quickly, and efficiently. These debit cards could also become the future ID card of students.

Also discussed was what the presence of field office committee this semester. The field office committee exists to establish and retain communication with students.

LETTERS Arguments against gay marrage are not valid

March 1, 2011 monitor 7

Dear Editor: I’m writing in regards to Heather Hegeman’s and Claire Ewing’s prop 8 editorials in the Feb. 16 Monitor.

Hegeman argues that what is at stake is voter’s rights, but I’m not sure that it is. The California proposition system has produced many very popular policies that have created very unpopular results.

Proposition 13, which has effectively frozen property taxes for most Californians has contributed greatly to the state’s budget crisis.

The proposition system, a form of direct democracy, enables the voting majority to violate the rights of minorities.

This tyranny of the majority was one of the consequences of a direct democracy that the founding fathers were eager

to avoid.

Prop 227 (English immersion) and Prop 8 are perfect examples of how the majority could take away the rights of minorities for unjustified reasons.

If we value people’s freedom, then why would we restrict people’s freedom to choose which dialect they speak? If we value people equally, why would we deny a particular group equal rights?

In fact, Prop 8 may not be an example of tyranny of the majority since the language of Prop 8, thinking that voting for Prop 8 was a vote for gay marriage, confused many voters.

Voters do not have the right to vote into law things that violate a person’s basic rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution, and equal treat-

ment by the law is a guarantee of the Constitution.

Ewing writes that gay marriage is “derogatory to the beliefs that I practice.”

No doubt, the Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we live in a country where our laws are not dictated by Biblical or any other religious text.

If we were, perhaps we should make a law that forces all women to be silent, since 1 Corinthians 33-35 says: “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches.

They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.

If they want to inquire about something, they should ask

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their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”

But I hope that this idea would be derogatory to all people who believe in equality between the sexes. But even if there is not equality between the sexes, we believe in freedom of expression, and are constitutionally given that right.

Ewing goes on to say that, “I support laws to allow gays and lesbians who want to have the same rights as a married heterosexual couple, but the title of their union doesn’t matter all that much.”

But I disagree. The title matters a lot. To give another title to gay marriage, other than marriage, is to treat it as something different from marriage.

It doesn’t have the same cultural capital to turn to an audience and be pronounced civilly unionized, as it would if they were married. But if labels don’t matter much, then I’m sure Christians would be happy to trade marriages for civil unions. Homosexuals can be married, and heterosexuals can be unionized.

Ultimately, the arguments given against gay marriage are the exact same arguments given when the Supreme Court heard the case of Loving Vs. Virginia in 1967.

In that case, people argued that it was wrong for people of different races to be married.

God did not intend for races to mix, otherwise, God would not have made the different races in the first place.

Calling interracial marriages --- marriages -- would be absurd.

The Supreme Court’s decision in part states: “The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discrimination.

Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.”

If we think that sexual orientation is not a legitimate characteristic for us to discriminate against a person, just like race is not a legitimate characteristic is not eather, then the Fourteenth Amendment would apply to gay marriage. We are denying a person the right to marry, simply because they are gay.

I don’t believe this is an equal rights issue, since technically, gays have equal rights, they can marry people of the opposite gender. But pre-1967, whites had the same rights as blacks; they could marry someone of the same race.

But today we can see through the thinly veiled argument for what it really was, fear and blatant discrimination.

This is a civil rights issue.

We need to equalize the treatment of our laws to a group that has been systematically denied their rights.

It was right for us to legalize interracial marriage, for no other reason than there is no good argument for not legalizing it. Today, we should legalize gay marriage, there is no good argument for not legalizing it.

Wayne Yuen Professor of Philosophy

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SPORTS

8 monitor March 1, 2012

Men’s basketball falls; women’s basketball soars

By THOMAS PHY Staff writer

Ohlone’s men fell while the women moved ahead at the 2012 CCCAA Men’s and Women’s Northern California Basketball Regional Playoffs at Ohlone on Friday.

While the women seemed up to the task, netting a 6841 victory over College of the Redwoods, the men’s side fell behind quickly and had their season come to an early end with a 82-62 loss to Consumnes River College.

The sixth seeded Ohlone men’s team was the first to take the floor Friday night as they hosted 11th seeded Consumnes.

Going into the game the Renegades had won five of their previous seven games and finished the regular season second in the Coast-North Division behind defending state champion’s City College of San Francisco.

The Renegades got off to a rough start early on in their first game of the 2012 postseason however, and found themselves down 36-27 at the end of the first half.

Feeling their season may be coming to an end, the Renegades went into a desperation full court defense for much of the second half.

The pressure wasn’t enough though, as the Renegade’s were unable to regroup and saw their 2011-2012 campaign come to a disappointing finish.

The 82-62 loss gave Ohlone a 15-12 final record on the

year, and an early exit from the Northern California Regionals.

As the men wrapped their season up, it seemed the fourth seeded women were just getting started. They rolled through their first game of the playoffs against No. 13 seed College of the Redwoods.

The Lady Renegades dominated from the start, something they’ve struggled to do at times this season.

“We don’t always have great starts [...] The last game [against] Mission was probably the best start we’ve had all year,” head coach Julia Allender said referring to the Lady Renegade’s 85-82 overtime win over Mission College a week earlier.

Going into the locker room at the end of the first half, the Lady Renegades held a comfortable 33-14 lead and were well on their way to continuing their run at a state title.

“We played well. We came out very strong,” said Allender.

Led by leading scorer Tina Dang’s 16 points, the Lady Renegade’s finished their first game of the 2012 Northern California Regional Playoff’s with a 68-41 victory.

San Jose State recruit Chereese Thomas also put in a strong performance, finishing the game with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

The Lady Renegade’s will host fifth seed Santa Clara College in their next game on their quest to a state championship title.

At right: Chris Read of Ohlone goes up for a shot in the second half against Consumnes River College on Feb. 24.

THOMAS PHY / MONITOR

At left: Ohlone’s Tina Dang goes up for a shot against College of the Redwoods on Feb. 24. Ohlone went on to win 68-41 in the first game of the CCCAA Northern California Regional Playoffs.

THOMAS PHY / MONITOR

Lady Renegades softball smashes Lady Owls

By JOHN HUGHES Staff writer

Ohlone softball played another exciting game Feb. 21, beating Foothill College 11-3.

It was a one-run game going into the bottom of the third inning, until Shelby Fowler hit a triple to score pinch runner Jazlyn Jimenez.

By the third inning, starting pitcher Ariana Marquez couldn’t find the strike zone, walking three batters and allowed Foothill to tie the game.

Coach Donna Runyon made a pitching change to start the fifth inning, substituting Katy Bihl on the mound.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Lady Renegades started their comeback.

Kaley Marden hit a lead off double. She scored when the Foothill third baseman committed an error by throwing the ball past first base, down the

right field line. Bihl proceeded to smash another double down the left field line, only to be knocked in, by a timely hit by Shelby Fowler.

This run-eruption gave theteam an 8-3 lead.

The women were not done yet. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the rally was started again.

Kaley Marden got a base hit, and advanced to second base, with a pitched ball in the dirt that the Foothill catcher had trouble handling.

After the next two batters walked, the bases were loaded.

Katie Bihl got another base hit to give the team their ninth run.

Ashley Vignola hit a wellplaced sacrifice fly to right JOHN HUGHES / MONITOR field to score the 10th run.

Lauren Ermitano (No. 25) about to single, keeps the Lady Renegades rally alive over Foothill The Foothill infielders College Feb. 21. came unraveled and committed two errors to give Ohlone The umpires called the rule comming into effect; if a after five innings, they win a eight-run lead. game to a halt, with the mercy team is ahead by eight runs the game.