Monitor 2014-5-8

OHLONE COLLEGE

MONITOR MEASURE G

THURSDAY MAY 8, 2014 Vol. XLVII No. 9

Sports year comes to an end at Ohlone College.

See story on page 7

FREMONT, CA OHLONEMONITOR.COM

ASOC

Out with the old...

Second election concludes Associated Students of Ohlone College fill vacant positions LOUIS LAVENTURE Editor-in-chief

...in with the new

TAM DUONG JR. / MONITOR

RYAN PARCHER / MONITOR

Top: Students navigate around a truck in the Quad as a storage and relocation service removes items from the Ohlone College Fremont campus library in March. Bottom: Workers look over some paperwork on Monday during the installation of portable units on the Ohlone College Fremont campus. The portables will be used for swing space classrooms during construction.

Ohlone College students have elected all but one of the remaining Associated Students of Ohlone College representatives for the upcoming school year.

The April elections left four spots vacant, including treasurer, legislative representative, Newark representative and the student member of the board of trustees.

All of these spots were filled on Tuesday except the student member of the board of trustees, which had several write-in candidates but none who received the 50 required votes to obtain the position.

Denis Yang was elected Treasurer with 221 votes; KP Ghoman was elected legislative representative with 268 votes; and Rajbir Rai was elected Newark representative with 208 votes.

Student Activities Assistant Sonia Patel said that the election went well and they were glad to have filled the vacancies, but wish the turnout had been higher.

“We could have got more voters,” Patel said. “Candidates need to go out and Continued on Page 3

FESTIVAL

Ethnic art on display at Fremont campus event SHANNON SORGE News editor Ohlone College students, dancing to a style of music called Afro-beats, were among those who took part in the Ethnic Art Festival this week.

Afro-beats, a modern twist on traditional African music, is what the group Across Africa got down to Tuesday at the Smith Center on the Fremont campus.

Within this group are six members: Deshanae Singleton, Anita Rotich, Fernand Niyungeko, Vivian Ekwuru, Leifo Kone-Kito and Farima Kone-Kito.

Across Africa formed through Ohlone, and the Ethnic Art Festival provided

them with an opportunity for their first performance.

“They allow us to express ourselves,” said Niyungeko, who hails from Burundi, when asked why events like the festival are important.

The Sheena Dance Co., which includes some members from the previous group, also performed at the festival.

Vivian Ekwuru, Daneill Townsel, Deshanae Singleton, and Anita Rotich, dancing contemporary style, illustrated the hardships African Americans endured and overcame during the Civil Rights Movement.

“People need to know history,” said Singleton, coordiContinued on Page 3

RYAN PARCHER / MONITOR

Isidore Niyongabo addresses the crowd during his keynote speech Tuesday in the Smith Center.

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NEWS

MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

NEWS BITES Meeting to consider board candidates A special board meeting will be held Wednesday to interview candidates to replace Kevin Bristow on the board of trustees.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in Room 7101 on the Fremont campus.

Bristow stepped down in March after he got a job outside the district.

Five candidates have applied to replace him: Taha Champsi, Steven Chan, Donald Jedlovec, Ishan Shah and Rakesh Sharma.

Student one-acts coming to Smith Center MONITOR STAFF Student actors and directors will present a series of one-act plays looking at modern relationships in six performances May 8 through 15 in the Smith Center at Ohlone College.

The five contemporary plays, selected and presented by the Student Repertory Co., will be presented in two

performance bills.

“These new plays, never performed at a college, are produced by incredibly passionate and skilled directors and equally talented actors,” said Ryan Weible, faculty adviser for Student Rep. “All five of the plays are exciting, entertaining and fully produced. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to see intense young

talent performing the latest in modern theater.”

Performance Bill One plays at 8 p.m. today, Friday and Tuesday, May 13. It includes “Impromptu” by Tad Mosel, “Heights” by Amy Fox and “The Great War” by Neil Labute.

Performance Bill Two plays at 8 p.m. Saturday, Wednesday and May 15. It includes “Thread Count”

by Lisa Soland and “Come Again, Another Day” by Cary Pepper.

Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for students, staff and seniors.

Event parking is $2, without a semester pass.

For more information or to buy tickets, call the Smith Center Box Office at 510-659-6031 or go to www. smithcenter.com.

High school instrumental music program graces Fremont

Hatter named Faculty of the Month Amber Hatter, adjunct instructor in real estate and business supervision management, has been named Faculty of the Month for May. Hatter, who has taught 16 different courses at Ohlone, is responsible for curriculum development and revision for seven real estate courses, and has designed two new real estate courses that are now part of the regular curriculum and have high enrollment.

She serves on the Sustainability Committee and the Technology Committee, and also chairs two advisory committees on real estate and business supervision management.

She also has been able to place students in internships, providing them with career advancement opportunities.

Forensics team to put on show The Ohlone College Forensics Showcase on Friday will feature highlight performances

by Ohlone’s award-winning forensics team.

The free event is part of the Speech Colloquium Series, sponsored by the Speech and Communication Studies Department and the Associated Students of Ohlone College.

The forensics showcase will be from 1 to 2 p.m. in Room 3102 on the Fremont campus.

– Compiled by Monitor staff

LOUIS LAVENTURE / MONITOR

The Mount Eden High School Instrumental Music Program performs in the Smith Center on the Fremont campus on Wednesday evening.

Multimedia festival showcases designs Awards for Ohlone student artists MONITOR STAFF Ohlone College’s 14th annual Multimedia Festival will be held May 15 in Hyman Hall on the Fremont campus.

The festival will showcase students’ work in web design, interactive media, video game design, digital imagery, two-dimensional and three-dimensional animation, and three-dimensional modeling. Jurors for the festival will include Luther Thie, art director at Sony Entertainment (cur-

rently residing in Tokyo); Curtis Priem, co-founder of Nvidia; Mark Del Lima, visual interaction designer at the IDEO design firm in San Francisco; and Lauren Devine, designer, developer and owner of DevinePortfolio.com.

The award ceremony will be from 4 to 5 p.m., and a reception and exhibition will follow from 5 to 6 p.m.

The event, organized by Ohlone’s Multimedia Department, was paid for in part by the Associated Students of Ohlone College.

For more information, contact Isabel Reichert at ireichert@ohlone.edu or call 510-569-7337.

NEWS

MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

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OHLONE COLLEGE

MONITOR STAFF: Editor-in-Chief: Louis LaVenture News editor: Shannon Sorge Features editor: Louis LaVenture Sports editor: Louis LaVenture Opinions editor: Louis LaVenture Photo editor: Tam Duong Jr. Online editor: Shannon Sorge Advertising coordinator: Sujin Park Monitor Staff: Erika Heredia Magdalena Jurys Sruthie Kondamoori Alizaib Lodhi Hung Ngyuen Ryan Parcher Adviser: Rob Dennis Printer: FP Press

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CONTACT US: Offices: Room 5310 Call: 510.659.6075 E-mail: monitor@ohlone. edu Read: facebook.com/ Ohlone.Monitor www.ohlonemonitor.com

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.

RYAN PARCHER / MONITOR

Left to right: Vivan Ekwuru, Daneill Townsel, Deshanae Singleton and Anita Rotich perform during the Ohlone College Ethnic Art Festival on Tuesday in the Smith Center on the Fremont campus. The three-day festival concluded on Wednesday.

Dancers take the stage in ethnic festival

Continued from Page 1 nator of the group. “It helps you grow as a person.”

The Ethnic Art Festival ran Monday through Wednesday and included ethnic arts and crafts, food and performances.

Student officers elected Continued from Page 1 campaign more.”

With about 10,000 students enrolled at Ohlone College, only a few hundred cast ballots in the election.

“I saw a sign about it, but to be honest I don’t really care,” Jamel Nicklesh said.

“It just doesn’t seem like real government.”

The newly elected officials will join the already elected Amitoj Sandhu (president), Sonam Babu (vice president), Rowan Youssef (representative at-large) and Surina Gulati (marketing and communications representative) as next school year’s ASOC officers.

It is unsure how the vital position of student board of trustee member will be filled with the spring semester just a few weeks away from completion.

OnTuesday, Ohlone graduate Isidore Niyongabo, who also was born in Burundi, outlined his inspiring life story through his keynote speech “Deaf to Destiny – a Crusade of Hope.”

“He’s a world changer,” said Renee Gonzales, coordinator

of student services. “He’s the definition of a leader.”

Niyongabo, is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization International Deaf Education, Advocacy and Leadership (IDEAL). Dustin Pelloni, Niyongabo’s personal inter-

preter, mentioned that this was his and Niyongabo’s first big trip outside San Diego.

“Events likes these promote people’s ability to understand how to come together,” Niyongabo said.

“It’s about time we invest in our diversity.”

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MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

FEATURES

‘The Other Prom’ enlightens Fremont campus

Photos by Hung Nguyen Above: Attendees of Fremont’s first prom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning youth dance on Friday in the cafeteria on Ohlone College’s Fremont campus.

Right: Dj CoCo plays some tunes for ‘The Other Prom’ guests on Friday on the Fremont campus. Below: A Gay Straight Alliance shirt is on display for attendees of the first ‘Other Prom’ sponsored by the Ohlone College Gay Straight Alliance on Friday in the cafeteria on the Fremont campus. Bottom: Guests enjoy ‘The Other Prom’ on the Ohlone College Fremont campus on Friday.

FEATURES

MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

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Ohlone College student Thairak Tungpagasit won an award for this sculpture that is on display in the Louie-Meager Art Gallery on the Fremont campus until May 15.

Students were awarded prizes in 10 categories and greeted by gallery Director Dina Rubiolo during a reception at the gallery on May 1.

Photos by Tam Duong Jr.

Students exhibit art in Smith Center LOUIS LAVENTURE Editor-in-chief The Louie-Meager Art Gallery in the Smith Center on the Ohlone College Fremont campus has some new company.

Student work in 10 categories of medium will be on display in the gallery until May 15.

A reception for the artists was held on May 1, when winners also were announced. The Office of the

President provided a “Best in Category” award of $100 for each medium.

“This is my first time entering my work for the student art show,” Fabrice Takeda said. “It gave me the chance to talk to some of

the other artists involved in the show.”

Art gallery Director Dina Rubiolo talked about the event and its importance.

“This exhibition gives students the opportunity to gain experience as working

artists,” Rubiolo said.

“It helps students meet deadlines, understand basic presentation standards and build on their exhibition resumes. Ohlone College provides a unique opportunity.”

Above left: C.J. Jones examines a student sculpture on the wall of the Louie-Meager Art Gallery on May 1 in Fremont. Above-right: Attendees of the reception for the student art exhibit listen to gallery Director Dina Rubiolo. Bottom-right: Louie-Meager Art Gallery Director Dina Rubiolo addresses the crowd on May 1 in Fremont.

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MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

Supreme Court makes right call on prayer ruling ALIZAIB LODHI Staff writer On Monday, a divided Supreme Court ruled that government agencies such as city councils can begin their meetings with a prayer, even if it only favors a specific religion.

The court ruled 5-4 that Christian prayers said before meetings of an upstate New York town council did not violate the constitutional prohibition against government establishment of religion; the court cited history and tradition.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy made sense when he wrote, in his majority opinion: “Ceremonial prayer is a recognition that since this nation was founded and until the present day, many Americans deem that their own existence must be understood by precepts far beyond the authority of government.”

Legislative prayer has been around for quite some time now. It goes all the way back to when the First Amendment was written by our founders, protecting freedom of speech and religious liberties.

“That the first Congress provided for the appointment of chaplains only days after approving language for the First Amendment demonstrates that the framers considered legislative prayer a benign acknowledgement of religion’s role in society,” Kennedy said.

It’s become a part of American heritage and tradition, very similar to the Pledge of Allegiance in my mind.

OPINIONS

The only downside to this would be favoring a specific religion. There should be no favoritism. The ruling showed that the Supreme Court is becoming more lenient about how a government should accommodate religion in civic life instead of focusing on a particular faith.

All nine justices acknowledged the concept of legislative prayer, with four dissenters agreeing that the public forum “need not become a religion-free zone,” in the words of Justice Elena Kagan. However, Kagan wrote in her dissent that “prayer repeatedly invoking a single religion’s beliefs in these settings — crossed a constitutional line.”

David Cortman, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, praised the ruling, and I think he gave a powerful response to dissenters such as Kagan.

“Opening public meetings with a prayer is cherished freedom that the authors of the Constitution themselves practiced,” he said. “Speech censors should have no power to silence volunteers who pray for their communities just as the founders.”

Personally, I say let them do what they want. Anyone who wants to disengage from the prayer is welcome to do so. No one should be forced to do something they don’t agree with. As long as it’s relegated to the beginnings of legislative proceedings and doesn’t interfere with government decisions or cause other problems, though, I’m OK with it.

CAMPUS COMMENT

TAM DUONG JR. / MONITOR

Was the Supreme Court right to allow prayer before government meetings?

MARSHELL THOMAS Psychology

“No, because it is mixing state with religion” AHSAN RATHOIC Psychology

“Yes, as long as it is done individually instead of a collective group” JOHN VINCENT ABALOS English

“No, because religion doesn’t belong to government and religion has its own place” JASMINE MEDINA Psychology

“Yes, because the U.S. has many types of religions ... that people should respect”

DANIELLE CASTILLO Psychology

“No. There is a separation of church and state for a reason.

Religion does not belong in government”

SPORTS

MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

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Season change for Ohlone College sports With only the softball team still in action, the focus shifts to fall for athletics LOUIS LAVENTURE Editor-in-chief With summer break just around the corner, the familiar time of year is approaching when college athletics break for summer.

Ohlone College is no exception. With just one team remaining in action, things have begun to wrap up and it’s time to look to next season.

Things got off to a great start in the winter, with both Ohlone basketball teams qualifying for the playoffs.

The women lost in the first round to Sierra College while the men found a little more success winning their first-round match before falling to Santa Rosa Junior College in the second round.

“We just practice and play hard,” Crystal De Los Reyes

said following a home win in January.

“We know what we can do and what we are capable of when we work together.”

The Lady Renegades worked their way to a 19-10 overall record and a dazzling 10-2 conference record, with high hopes for next season.

The Renegades basketball team had a little more success, defeating College of the Sequoias in their first playoff game before falling in the second.

Ohlone finished the season 23-7 overall and 8-4 in conference competition.

“We work hard and we do what coach asks,” Almir Hadzisehovic said following their playoff victory.

Ohlone will have some huge shoes to fill with the departure of successful longtime head coach John Peterson.

Peterson accepted a job in March to become an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University in

Los Angeles, leaving a glaring vacancy.

“Ohlone has been a phenomenal place for me to grow, as a coach and as a person, and I will miss it dearly,” he said.

College officials have yet to name a replacement for

Peterson, and are considering several candidates.

Then softball and baseball season got under way, and despite a great start by both, only the Lady Renegades qualified for the postseason.

Despite a 19-3 start, the

Renegades found themselves on the outside looking in after losing their final game to Cañada College.

The softball team won their first-round playoff matchup, advancing to play College of San Mateo on Friday.

HUNG NGUYEN / MONITOR

Ohlone College pitcher RaeAnn Garza delivers a strike at Central Park in Fremont during the March Madness Tournament held annually by Ohlone College and the Lady Renegades.

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SPORTS

MONITOR MAY 8, 2014

SOFTBALL

Got Me Feeling Some Type of Way with LOUIS LAVENTURE

Warrior Woes

LOUIS LAVENTURE / MONITOR

Some of the Lady Renegades warm up before practice at the Fremont campus on Wednesday. Ohlone won their first-round playoff series advancing to the next round, in which they will take on College of San Mateo on Friday in San Mateo.

Softball surges on to second round Lady Renegades defeat Gavilan College, advance to face College of San Mateo

LOUIS LAVENTURE Editor-in-chief Going into their opening round playoff match with Gavilan College last weekend, the Lady Renegades found themselves in an unfamiliar position – underdogs.

Gavilan College came into the series 28-10 overall, earning them a No. 5 seed in the first round of the postseason.

The Lady Renegades came in 26-12, earning the No. 12 seed, but seeds aren’t anything but numbers.

Ohlone managed to take the best-of-three series two games to zero by finals of 10-2 and 9-7.

“It felt like we had no pressure on us since we were underdogs on paper,” freshman Bianca Zelaya said.

“Right now, we’re underdogs but we have total confidence in competing hard with the No. 1 team in the state.”

Zelaya was referring to

the No. 1 overall seed, College of San Mateo, which the Lady Renegades will face at 2 p.m. on Friday in San Mateo.

Ohlone advanced to the next round with a stellar pitching performance from freshman hurler RaeAnn Garza on Saturday.

Garza dazzled the crowd, giving up just two earned runs in a complete game.

Garza helped her own cause at the plate as well, collecting three hits in four plate appearances, driving in two runs.

Sara Tagliaboschi and Jillian Ceccanti also drove in

two runs each for the Lady Renegades.

Game two on Sunday was a little bit closer, but Ohlone managed to pull away with the win and clinch the series, moving them on to the next round. The Super Regionals begin on Friday and run through the weekend.

LOUIS LAVENTURE / MONITOR

Ohlone College Head Athletic Trainer Jeff Roberts, left, addresses the women’s softball team before their practice at the Fremont campus on Wednesday.

Professional sports teams have become whathave-you-done-for-melately organizations.

In the case of Mark Jackson, what he has done lately is pretty impressive.

Jackson led the Golden State Warriors to the postseason the past two seasons, as well as accumulating a 55-21 record this season, which is the best the Warriors have posted in 22 years.

With all of these accolades, the team fired Jackson on Tuesday morning, citing the need to “create synergy throughout the organization” as one of the reasons for parting ways.

It is no secret that Jackson hasn’t been the easiest coach to work with, as evidenced by his two run-ins with assistant coaches this past season.

However, with success being the primary objective, it is quite a headscratcher for Warriors fans like myself who have seen Jackson take this team to the heights of National Basketball Association popularity in just three seasons as head coach.

While many fans may not like the live-by-thethree, die-by-the-three environment that Jackson created with one of the most prolific shooting backcourts in league history, you can’t deny his success during his tenure as coach.

Now Warriors fans find themselves in a very familiar position, lost with no direction and no coach. Sure, we still have a young roster with stars like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but that doesn’t ensure winning and making the playoffs.

It takes a coach to come in and create a winning environment that the players can buy into and then flourish in a system that they trust.

Despite all of Jackson’s shortcomings one thing he did is earn his players’ trust and win. Curry came to his defense immediately after losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Clippers, urging the organization to re-sign Jackson.

It has yet to be seen how the players will react, but one thing is for sure – he will be tough to replace.