Dec 9, 2022 (54.1)

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FIONA WHITVER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TARYN EASTWOOD REPORTER

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SHAHN SMITH REPORTER

MELODY ADRIAN REPORTER

JASON NIX ADVISER

MATTINGLY KREIDER MANAGING EDITOR

CAMPUS ENROLLMENT AT SFCC

Three years ago was just before the pandemic hit. Slow ly, enrollment is creeping up, when the school will get back to the numbers it once was is a bit of a mystery.

Mattingly Kreider COMMUNICATOR

The last few years col leges across the country have seen a decrease in enrollment. Though undergraduate enroll ment has been on the decline even before Covid-19, the pandemic has stopped poten tial students in their tracks, making them ask the question if college is the right move for them. Since the pandemic Spo kane Falls Community College has been different. Even now, Covid cases are down, vacci nations have rolled out but the atmosphere around campus seems to be at a standstill.

“Compared to two years ago, the college is down on enrollment about 10-11%”

Jim Brady, Vice President of Learning said. “25% lower compared to three years ago.”

“The numbers we are at now, which certainly have gone up in the last quarter, might be the schools normal.” Brady said “returning students and potential first time students had to stop and think what was going to be best for them in the current world we all are living in.”

Right now SFCC has 4,055 students enrolled for fall 2022. Fall 2021, 3,950 students. Fall 2020, 4,260 students. Fall 2019, 5,352 students. Numbers provided by Brian Frederiksen, Institutional Research and Data Assistant.

“It is pretty quiet around here, but it was way quieter last year” said second year stu dent Justefanie Strachan-Good ner “Walking around campus seems disconnected from other students, but the SUB and game room always have people in it hanging out.”

Many class courses

SCHOLARSHIP SEASON TIPS

are running online or hybrid now. “¼- about ⅓ of classes are on ground. About ¼ are hybrid and a little less than half are fully online” Brady said. “Some of the best parts of teaching are the person to person relationships that occur in a classroom”

Jim Brady called it his “Organic approach” when de ciding which classes are online or in person.

“From our perspective, we want to make sure there is a balance of choice. We don’t want to drive students online because we are more comfort able online. We don’t want to force students on ground be cause we have buildings to fill. We want to let student demand and student desire help drive what we offer.” Brady said.

The benefits that on line classes allow for many students make getting a college degree easier and more acces sible.

“You don’t have to be in a class at 9:30 AM on a Tuesday with an online course.” Brady said “There are certain conveniences, a student

doesn’t have to interrupt their job or their life to be in class. They can do the work on their time.”

It is important to note that online doesn’t work for everyone. For those who see learning from home as benefi cial, others find online difficult and hindersome.

“We have got to be careful because if we start to depend on online, we start to

The vacancy of scholarship applications is seen annually by the foundation.

Unapplied for scholarships remain within the CCS fund, and will hopefully be awarded in the next academic cycle.

assume everyone has access to online.” Brady said Spokane Falls Com munity College has taken a hit over the last few years and though the impact has changed the way the campus runs and the environment students engage in, one thing is certain, students are back and ready to restart this once lively campus.

Pinette offers advice for prospec tive scholarship applicants, guiding future applicants towards success.

“We have scholarships that cover smaller things such as bus passes,” DeGeare said, “ and others that help with tuition and books. That amount can range anywhere from $22.00 up to $5,000.00 per year, with various amounts in between.”

Just after winter break, the appli cation for Fall of 2023 funding opens.

“We start one [cycle] in the winter,” DeGeare said, “Then we run a second cycle in the summer.”

The CCS foundation is under standing towards unforeseen circum stances and the chaos that comes with collegiate life.

“You can apply every year,” DeGeare said, “I would encourage students to apply both [cycles].”

“Apply for everything you qualify for.” said Pinette, “Take the time to apply for the scholarships that require more effort, be yourself in your essay, letter, the biggest thing in applying for scholarships is to set yourself apart and stand out. The best way to do that is to be authentic.”

Sign up for the CCS Foundation newsletter at ccsfoundation.org to stay updated on scholarship opportuni ties, application deadlines and email reminders.

COMMUNICATOR

The CCS Scholarship Foundation enables students to comfortably cover the costs of their education. Fall 23’ funding opens in January. Annually giving students $266,000 for books, tuition, and other associated costs of college, the Scholarship Foundation has opportunities open and often left sitting idle.

Christine DeGeare serves as Scholarship & Alumni Relations Manager for CCS Scholarship Foun dation, guiding students to scholarship success.

“Right now we run two rounds a year, cycles,” said DeGeare, “the next round will be January 17, to March 17, 2023. For this cycle, students will be applying for funding for the Fall of 2023.”

With a new round just about to begin, there are plenty of scholarship opportunities.

“I will have around 120 to 125 different scholarships that are available. Some of those scholarships offer five or 10 different ones,” DeGeare said, “It could be 200 to 300 individual scholar ships, so I definitely don’t want to just leave that on the table.”

Attesting to the assistance that the CCS Scholarship Foundation offers to its students, recipient Brandi Pinette was awarded the Krumble Scholarship for second-year students enrolled in the Business AAS program. Pinette is one of over a hundred students that will recieve the $4,000 scholarship over the next five years.

“My scholarship experience has been fairly easy,” said Pinette, “ … writing an essay has been the most tedious task I have had to accomplish, and some of them did not even require that. The most difficult part was trying to figure out what to write.”

Essay Anxiety?

“It doesn’t need to be an intimidating process,” said DeGeare, “ I tell students to not think of it as a major paper. That’s not what the foundation is looking at.

What we’re looking for is for you to answer the question thoroughly and thoughtfully, and be genuine.”

Christine asks students to keep the schol arship committee at mind and consider: *Career goals, *Post-grad plans, *Personal stories that contribute to what has shaped you,

Post Covid campus looks a lot different

Mattingly Kreider | PHOTO Students A, B, and C playing pool in the SUB’s game room

Fiona Whitver

SEEKING SOLACE IN DOWNTOWN

Riverfront Park scuplture combines expression, nature

Shahn Smith COMMUNICATOR

Spokane has always prid ed itself on its culture, the biggest way being through its artwork. From the many murals that are scattered around the town to the sculptures from local artists, there’s plenty of art to see and love. One of the biggest cultural hotbeds in the city is Riverfront Park. Home to many different sculptures and piec es from different artists, Riverfront is a local cultural icon for the city of Spokane, always looking to add more to its repertoire. The newest piece to join its roster? The Seeking Place.

The Seeking Place is a sculp ture designed to encompass Spo kane’s melting pot of culture and artistic expression. Resting on the top of a hill just below the icon ic Pavillion, The Seeking Place is Riverfront’s newest spectacle. A professional artist for 15 years, Coeur d’Alene artist Sarah Moore designed this piece to relate to the Spokane region.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the geology of our region,” Moore said. “I’ve always liked the geology, so the Seeking Place is really based off of that inspiration, specifically the columnar basalt formations.”

True to her word, the Seeking Place does the region justice, as the sculpture itself resembles a geo logical structure. Creatively shaped rocks lay inside the structure, while the holes in the metal create unique shadows when hit by the sun’s light, creating a unique experience almost every time one enters.

“With my work, it’s a deeper exploration of myself,” Moore said, smiling.

“The piece is meant to be explored. For me it’s exploring the ideas around creating works that pertain to the environ ment. For the people of Spokane, I

hope it becomes a spot that people want to return to, becomes emblem atic of Spokane, and something that over time develops its own layers and mean ing.”

portfolio to the city of Spokane in early 2020.

“They took those entries and narrowed it down to four or five artists,” Moore said. “Then those artists create and submit a design. I was selected as a finalist and I sub mitted my design for The Seeking Place later that year.”

feel like the feedback has been real ly great as well. You get so bogged into the nuts and bolts that you never know until the very end how it’s actually going to be. I’m very pleased with how it turned out.”

The Seeking Place is a work that took two and a half years to complete. The start of the project was Moore entering her name and

The city took a liking to Moore’s work and she was chosen to create and showcase her piece in Riverfront. Through the selec tion progress and COVID delays, Moore’s sculpture is now cemented into the legacy of the city.

“I’m very proud of it,” Moore said in regards to her sculpture. “I

Moore’s sculpture will now forever be ingrained into the city’s culture and artistic landscape. Sit ting on its hill for all to admire, The Seeking Place is a unique spectacle in a city full of unique spectacles. Make sure to check out Sarah’s magnificent sculpture next time you find yourself at Riverfront Park, and share your own exploration.

Fiona Whitver | PHOTOS Coeur d’Alene-based artist Sarah Moore created her work “The Seeking Place” at RFP to reflect Spokane’s unique geographical features, specifically the basalt columns that dot the landscape.

“The piece is meant to be ex plored ... something that over time takes on layers of meaning.”

Sarah Moore

SPOKANE’S ARTHOUSE CINEMA

Taryn Eastwood COMMUNICATOR

Smiles and the aroma of popcorn in the air bring a warm wel come upon walking up to the Magic Lantern theater in Spokane. It brings a cozy vibe of alcoholic refreshments, candy, comfortable seats, and helpful, bright eyes that welcome you with a feeling of ap preciation for community and art.

“I have been going to the Magic Lantern for over 10 years; I work a shift every week and absolutely love the menu, and the environment there is awesome,” Javi Sparks, manager at the Saranac Public House.

It has deep roots in the commu nity as a small, independent, fami ly-run arthouse theater located with in the Saranac building in downtown Spokane off Main Ave. Jim Sheehan is the founder of the Community Building campus and its ethic. And his daughter, Katy Sheehan, helps run the building itself. While Joe Sheehan, his son, and Jonathan Abramsom, a long-time colleague, took over running the theater.

Jim Sheehan writes in “OneBlock Revolution,” edited by Sum mer Hess, that “our project is just one of many ways to ground money in place to co-create spaces that nurture our communities.”

It began in the early 1970s, be fore Spokane hosted its 1974 World’s Fair.

After a few different owners opened and closed the doors, the theater was dormant for nearly 30 years until it was brought to life within the Saranac building. Many renovations had to be done in order to make the theater profitable.

It was a struggle for the theater to really get profit margins to livable levels due to a non-profit setup that the current owner from 2008–2010, Joe Davis, a doctor completing his residency program at Sacred Heart Medical Center, had wished to

accomplish. Joe Sheehan was the building manager at the time and would help with the theater often.

When this didn’t happen ac cording to plan, the theater closed its doors again. But in 2016, Shee han came back to help with the art house.

Until COVID-19 shutdown, the theater had seen its highest success rate since it moved into the Saranac Building in 2007. Abramsom would book the movies, handle all the ship ping details, build the shows on the soft ware, and make the film schedule according to “One-Block Revolu tion.” Sheehan would handle venue bookings, community outreach, negotiations, and would take turns running the front.

“I really enjoy getting excited about upcoming movies and getting the chance to be one of the first people in the city to see them,” Joe Sheehan said.

Many customers are regulars, while students, film buffs, and com munity members come to enjoy the

unique movies that are shown here at the Magic Lantern. Senior days are Wednesdays with ticket prices discounted at $7.50, and booklets are offered with 10 movie tickets discounted at $80.

The Spokane International Film Festival, or SPIFF, has been with the Magic Lantern for years. This remains the busiest week of the year and is set to begin in Feb ruary, 2023. The arthouse frequent ly works with its neighbors in the Saranac building, including 350 Spokane, KYRS Thin Air Radio, The Lands Council, Blueprints for Learning, Save Our Wild Salmon, Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, and more!

“We turn to our relationships to guide us toward life inside a legacy of love, but not perfection,” Katy Sheehan said in “One-Block Revolution.”

Sandy Williams, who ran The Black Lens, has hosted numerous fundraisers for her independent newspaper and the Carl Maxey Center; coming up on December 1st will be a movie night of remem brance. Come celebrate her mem ory with a showing of The Woman King. The event will include a

The exposed-brick lobby of the Magic Lanter feels more speakeasy than corporate chain movie palace.

silent auction, and all proceeds will go to the Carl Maxey Center of Spokane.

“We love to have as many people come through as possible,” Sheehan said.

Taryn Eastwood | PHOTOS

The Magic Lantern’s current llocation in the Saranac Building in Spokane is just the latest in its long and varied history.

Throughout the decades, Magic Lantern has kept alive the dream of alternative small-scale screenings

“The environment there is really awesome.”

Javi Sparks

GOODBYE, BUILDING 06

AFTER 56 YEARS HOUSING CREATIVES ON CAMPUS, LIMITED TIME LEFT FOR THIS ORIGINAL STRUCTURE

Fiona Whitver COMMUNICATOR

On track to be demolished late in 2023, Fine Arts Building 06 has limited days left on the SFCC campus. The vintage structure is one of the last two remaining original buildings first built as part of the original campus in 1967. Building 05, The Spartan The atre (Playhouse) is the other.

Monitoring the Fine Arts overhaul transition is CCS Capital Projects Construction Coordinator, Teresa Lumberg.

“The current Fine Arts Building 06 demo project, bid pack 04,” says Lumberg, “will go out to bid for the demolition work after we get the cur rent folks all moved out of the build ing. Work may start late 2023 to early 2024. We work with the state Depart ment of Enterprise Services (DES), for bids and contracting, so with this project still a way out, we don’t have set dates yet.”

Since its start in 1967, Building 06 has been home to various factions of

creative programs, in cluding interior design, photography, and fine arts.

Professor Carl Richardson has taught his creative courses in Building 06 for nearly 27 years.

“It started as a music building first,” Richardson said, “then once music got their building, art and photography and interior design was in here. Eventually photography moved out, photography moved out and interior & graphic de sign moved out. When I started here in ‘95 there were still a couple of graphic design instructors who were in this space because that building was just new. So, it was around the early 90’s when it became exclusively Fine Arts.”

In addition to its educational courses, the Fine Arts Building is wellknown for its gallery, hosting a pleth ora of art installations from numerous artists with a variety of mediums over the years.

Also serving as art faculty and dually as the Gallery Program Director is professor Cozette Phillips.

TOP: Fall scenery outside Building 06.

MIDDLE:

“We have about roughly two shows per quarter.” said Phillips, “and I re search in-person by traveling to differ ent museums and galleries, but I like to represent a broad range of artists in terms of cultural, social differences and interests that reflect the students and the community of Spokane and their interests. I also look towards the gallery as a teaching tool, to reflect the disciplines that the artists and faculty members are working towards here.”

While the current Fine Arts Gallery will always hold a special place in many artists’ hearts, the transition to a modernized and updated gallery will both mirror and magnify the legacy of arts and culture that Building 06 is leaving behind.

Art Club mural representing variety of famous artists.

BOTTOM: Groundbreaking ceremony of orginal campus, 1967.

HELLO, BUILDING 32

Coming soon: Fine Arts, Photography Arts

COMMUNICATOR

Expecting to open in time for the quarter of Fall 2023, the new Fine & Applied Arts Building (32) will house Photography and all pro grams encompassed under the Fine Arts umbrella.

CCS Capital Projects Construc tion Coordinator Teresa Lumberg is overseeing the sizable job.

“We are working with the local architectural firm of ALSC Architects,” stated Lumberg. “ Our lead architect is Iren Teran. HGA Architecture out of St Paul Minneso ta worked with ALSC to design the new art building. HGA worked on the interior theme that is leading all of the furniture for the new build ing.”

The interior design features unique bird-themed study areas as well as a distinctive art display built into the glass-face of the building. Alongside the aesthetics, Building 32 will also house the new and up scaled Fine Arts Gallery, as well as a Photography Gallery.

Fine Arts Gallery Program

Director, Cozette Phillips will be transitioning Building 06’s Gallery to meet the space of the gallery in Building 32.

“There will be two floors, the [Fine Arts] Gallery will be on the first floor. The photo gallery will be right next to us. So there’s two great reasons to come see art, beyond and addition to the student art we hang on the walls, that tradition will carry forwards as well.”

A plethora of murals, sculp ture, canvas, and so much more will be transferred to the new gallery to preserve student art history.

“It’s going to be a beautiful space,” said Phillips. “that really serves the art department but also reflects nature and connection to the land with the big windows and lob by. I see it as a place that the college campus community might like to come to.”

Building 32 has many expec tations to meet and uphold in terms of serving artists and preserving the curations that Building 06 has been home to over the past 56 years. This fresh and advanced setting will undoubtedly serve to inspire future artists, students and the Spokane Falls community.

Fiona Whitver

ALSC Architects | PHOTO

ALSC Architects | PHOTO

STUDY SPOTS AROUND CAMPUS

Cool, unique locations to do work around SFCC

There are many places to sit down, unwind, and get some work done around campus at SFCC. Many of these locations provide solitude for those students seeking a quiet place to study. While other spots display views of campus that are unmatched compared to sitting in a room with four walls and a window. Whether it is a group or solo study session SFCC has the perfect place for everyone, some you may not even know about. Not to say that any of these are hidden, all are in plain sight. But whether or not they are being used to their fullest potential by students, that’s a different story.

Located in building 7, the recently renovated Student Athlet ic Center is home to the “Bigfoot Lounge”. The brightly lit, large room has several tables and benches ready for hours of work. The perfect spot to kill time and work on an assignment.

Building 28, the Science build ing comes equipped with your choice of tables, couches, even tall barstool type seating. The tall ceil ings, natural light, and several sit down spots throughout the building make getting comfortable and down to work easy and peaceful.

“ I love this building. It is usual ly pretty quiet, not too many people

taking up too much space to where I feel I can’t get any work done.” student Kennedy Seymour said. “I like the two story set up they’ve got going on. It is super cool.”

In building 15, Music and Per forming Arts, if you’re lucky you just might find yourself working on an assignment while listening to peaceful songs from the choir room, or even gentle chords coming from the piano lab. There are a lot worse things to be surrounded by while trying to focus but SFCC’s music building is not one of them.

The Library in building 2 is quite literally one of the perfect places to hunker down, layout every note book, textbook, and highlighter you have and for hours, or more if needed, study your heart away, or at least until the brain fog kicks in.

Called the “Study Rooms” on the upstairs level of the library houses six in dividual rooms equipped with all new technology.

to the monitor allowing everyone in the room to see the same thing on a larger scale. The monitors also have cameras, making zoom calls easy.

“The rooms are convenient” said student Andy Prochnow “The general benefits [of the rooms] are solitude and privacy.”

Each room also comes stocked with large white boards. “A lot of students use these rooms, you’d be surprised.

“Katie Peterson, Library staff & Tech nology specialist said. “Just by looking at the schedule you can see how busy we are.

The “Huddle” tables on the first floor of the library work almost the same way as the study rooms. No need to schedule time to use them, just find an open table and get to work.

“First sit first served.” as Peterson put it.

board for one of these study rooms and huddle tables Katie Peterson over at the Technology table will help you. You will need an up to date student ID. If you don’t have one, luckily in the same building just downstairs of the library you can get one.

Bldg 15, perfect place to read a book.

Beautifully set up stations with large TV monitors turned to comput er screens. You can link up your computer or tablet

These tables also have large monitors and plug in stations for phones, tablets, and computers.

“I like these tables.” Ayden Franklin said. “It is just like using a com puter with a bigger monitor.”

To check out a mouse and a key

Mattingly Kreider COMMUNICATOR

Mattingly Kreider | PHOTO

Students Sydney Burke and Kiler Borg doing homework in the newly renovated Bigfoot Lounge

Mattingly Kreider| PHOTO

Mattingly Kreider| PHOTO

PLANETARIUM

New film: Dark Universe, astronomy installation on campus

Taryn Eastwood COMMUNICATOR

After being in the dark for the last two years due to COVID-19, the universe can be seen in full color once again, as the Planetarium opened back up to the public this November.

Renovations have been in the works while the Plane tarium was shut down to the public. These included updates to online ticketing and infor mation, a new projector which provides a more clear and precise picture, and a solar sys tem walk on campus. Anyone interested in learning more can

take a walk behind the plane tarium to see a scale model of our solar system.

“We are proud to have had the support of the student body and ASG to secure funding for this new projec tor,” said Michele Moore, Astronomy Faculty Planetari um Co-director.

The scale model is 1 to 1 Billion, running east/west from the northeast corner of Building 28 to the end of the walkway along Elliot Drive. Each scale provides information about the model and which way to proceed forward.

The planetarium is a unique feature in the Eastern WA area, not many commu nity colleges have such a resource. Each presentation will feature a night sky tour and a dome feature movie. The movies include various topics like black holes, dark matter, dark energy, and star formation.

“We have a brand

new movie called Dark Universe, it’s a very beau tiful and visually effective movie,” Moore said. “Dark matter and dark energy are very immersive topics and this movie helps us to visualize that it is very beautiful.”

SFCC offers cap tivating classes in Astron omy in which the use of the planetarium and solar walk are a huge help with daily visualization and understanding of our solar

system and constellations.

“I took the Astron omy class here last quarter, it was really fun,” Trevor Weberg, 21, an aspiring education major said. “I think it is interesting that we know so much about the creation of stars, more than I thought we knew.”

More information and how to schedule ticketing can be found at: https://sfcc.spo kane.edu/For-Our-Students/ Around-Campus/Planetarium

SCENES FROM AN UNDERPASS

Most recent Fine Arts Gallery Display

Whitver COMMUNICATOR

Artist Caitie Sellers’ Scenes from an Underpass is the SFCC Fine Art Gallery’s most recent resident. The collection features drawings and sketchbooks, as well as mixed-medi um metal sculpture.

“Scenes from an underpass is an ode to a small area in the very heart

of Richmond, Virginia,” says Sellers. “This span of four city blocks is home to the city’s oldest architecture, a rare triple railroad crossing, and the tow ering interchange of Interstate 95, all stacked upon itself. I can’t help but be awed by the overwhelming layers of human development. Stubborn vegeta tion, sprawl, guts, growth, and decay.”

The art collection is representa tive of the common underpass urban

scenery found throughout Spokane. Sellers’ collection was brought to campus by Gallery PRogram Director and art professor, Cozette Phillips.

“What’s great about our gallery,” says Phillips, “is that one-hundred per cent of the sales go to the artist, we are an educational gallery that supports artists. That’s what’s really special about where we work.”

“It’s a come as you are gallery,” says Phillips. Students are encouraged to walk through the gallery and experience the current exhibit. The SFCC Fine Arts Gallery can be found straight-ahead from entering the main entrance of Building 06, entrance to the gallery is at no cost.

Fiona

Taryn Eastwood | PHOTO Outsisde, frontal view of Building 28: Planetarium.

Fiona Whitver | PHOTO

Excerpt from Scenes from an Underpass.

Taryn Eastwood | PHOTO Lecture hall seating within the Planetarium.

Fiona Whitver | PHOTO Scenes from an Underpass in the Art Gallery.

A SUSTAINABLE STATE OF MIND

Recent eco-friedly initiatives on campus

Fiona Whitver COMMUNICATOR

Achieving a sustainable cam pus is reliant upon a community aware and active with its envi ronmental practices and care. It takes a collective effort to achieve and maintain eco-friendly perfor mance. Among state legislation, student activism and resource conservation, sasquatch sustain ability is on the rise.

As per their mission statement, The SFCC Environmental Club aims to promote and educate the campus community on the core concepts of responsible and innovative resource use, political action to achieve ecologically beneficial and productive legisla tion, as well as daily environmen tally-sound practices.

Advising the Environmental Club, professor and founder of SFCC’s Sustainability Center, Monica Stenzel tasks herself in leading students towards making sustainable change and promoting activism.

“One of our best drivers for making change on campus comes from student leadership,” said Stenzel. “If the students want things, often that’s the best way to make it happen. Not all students know what they can do or what other options they get. We go to what’s familiar and convenient.”

Familiarity and convenience are traits often favored by college students immersed in their chaot ic lives, but with small efforts of individual action across campus, change is possible.

“Something I would love to see,” says Stenzel, “is getting all

of the vending machines to have only glass or aluminum - no plas tic bottles.”

Anders Johnson, the Student Lead Representative for Environ mental Club adds, “or possibly compostable plastic, and provid ing compostable bins on campus.”

Johnson has taken on a role of student leadership within Envi ronmental Club and ASG, produc ing sustainable activism.

“As my position as the finance and legislative director,” Johnson says, “one of the biggest things I’m hoping to do this year is to address the Sustainability Action Plan that was made last year and see what other changes we can do to make the campus more sus tainable. It is one of our goals to address the trash that we produce both a group and as a campus.”

The Environmental Club is curating eco-friendly practices on campus, but striding towards sustainable action also occurs on a legislative level.

In 2020, Washington State updated its State Agency Climate Leadership Act, requiring colleges and universities to make moves towards sustainability in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to the following standards:

15% below 2005 baseline by 2020, 45% below 2005 by 2030, 70% below 2005 by 2040, 95% below 2005 by 2050.

The Clean Buildings Law requires buildings over 50,000sq. ft.to be tracked in energy usage. 16 buildings between both CCS campuses require individual metering to track each source of independent energy.

To help with this, CCS em ployed a duo of Resource Conser vation Managers (RCM), Andrew Lemberg and Reed Williams to

Environmental Club’s Holiday Guide:

Environmental Club encourages students to shop green, to save green this holiday season. From gift shopping to gift wrapping, consider eco-friendly options:

- Make, bake, or thrift gifts

- Reuse gift bags, ribbons, and decorations

- Maps, dish towels, & calendar pages make great wrapping paper

- Give experiences such as lift tickets, movie cards, muse um memberships, and concert tickets

- Give a plant! – with care instructions!

- Buy from local stores and makers

overlook the eco-con cerned umbrella covering HVAC scheduling, ac quiring electrical vehi cles, waste overhaul, instillation of smart irrigation, and Green house Gasses Emissions (GHG) annual reporting.

“I’ve always thought of sus tainability as meeting the needs of the present,” said Williams, “ensuring you can also meet the needs of future humans, gener ations and life forms. Promot ing eco-friendliness on campus creates a more long-term and sustainable environment.”

Sustainability on campus focuses on often overlooked areas where waste is present, to ex amining larger more identifiable forms of waste. The waste over haul project launched at the end of 2018, fully deployed by 2019. Within this project, the RCM’s universalized the campus trash system.

“Different styles, different sizes [of trash cans] required dif ferent types of liners,” said Wil liams. “Decreasing the variety of trash cans saves $15,000 a year in plastic liners alone, increasing the waste diversion rate. In 2018, it was about 7 percent, so only 7 percent of our waste was getting recycled or composted, and now it has increased above 70 per cent. Things have totally flipped in the world of waste.”

While physical waste is often more recognizable, there are less tangible aspects of waste reduc tion that we might not realize need to be acted upon.

“Another one is LED retro fits,” stated Williams. “Changing

all the lights from fluorescent and incandescent, basically old lightbulbs to new light bulbs, decreases electrical usage by 30 percent.”

Over the summer, the Re source Conservation Managers installed electrical and natural gas meters in every building measuring over 50,000 sq. ft., and have begun the process of slowly transitioning Facilities’ campus vehicles from gas to electric. Electric vehicles are a recent eco-initiative with inten tions to go a long way in terms of energy conservation.

“The plan is,” Williams states, “that anytime we need a new vehicle in facilities that need to be replaced, we’ll get an E.V. (Electric Vehicle).”

There are currently three Electric Facilities Vehicles on the SFCC campus since the transi tion began in May 2021. One assigned to each: groundworks, custodial, and painting. Governor Inslee’s Executive Order 21-04, it is mandated to have specific portions of campus vehicles be electric fleets by the following dates:

40% by 2025, 75% by 2030, And 100% by 2035.

Between Resource Conserva tion, state legislation and Envi ronmental Club’s student activ ism, Spokane Falls is constantly growing in its eco-friendly practices, and laying a founda tion for students to think with a sustainable mindset.

Melody Adrian | PHOTO One of CCS Facilities’ new electrical vehicles.

SPORTS ANNEX: STABLE?

Building 13 closed in Spring 2022 due to water damage.

Whitver COMMUNICATOR

If you’ve ever rooted on your Bigfoot Soccer at a home game, or ventured to the edge of campus far enough to notice the stadium bleachers, congratulations! You’ve found Build ing 13. Often overlooked, Building 13 is seldom just a set of bleachers. The structure is home to a few classrooms, offices, and the Bigfoot Soccer locker rooms.

Built in 1969, the Sports Annex has stood tall on campus for fifty-three years - but not without complication. Although it underwent a remodel in 2012, the building has been closed off to students and faculty on the inside this Spring due to a leaking ceiling and excessive water damage.

Responding to this issue, Jason Foraker from Community Colleges of Spokane’s (CCS) Facilities/Mainte nance and Operation (MNO) oversees all CCS capital projects - including this rather emergent one.

“The SFCC Leadership and Facilities took prudent measures to ensure safety of students and staff when water was reported to be coming down through the changing rooms last winter.” Foraker said, “it was assessed that these areas needed to be restrict ed due to impacted overhead lighting and drywall damage. There was also rainwater that was accumulating in the ceiling and floor tiles.”

With the incurred current damage, CCS sought out outside help to formu late a solution to this situation.

“CCS reached out to industry professionals to gain information on the reason for the water infiltration” Foraker said, “It was learned that the water stops, sitting atop the bleachers are being impacted from expansion and contraction, allowing rainwater to seep past during larger rainfalls. A struc tural study was also performed on the upper cast bleachers to gain insight on deteriorated concrete surfaces. It was found that the building structure is not compromised from this.”

While Building 13 has officially been deemed structurally sound, the invasive rainfall still remains an urgent issue.

“Our next step is we hired an ar

chitect,” Foraker said. “They are called ALSC, they are a local architecture company, and they did an assessment, advising CCS on how to proceed. We have a plan to seal the top of the stadium and that’s still in the works. What typically goes on with that is that a contract is put together, and then it’s put out to bid.”

Spring Quarter was timely for this structural surprise, as construction work is much more difficult in the Spring due to the PNW’s temperamen tal weather patterns.

“That’s still in the works and you really can’t start that work until we get to the summertime.” Foraker reminds, “so that’s kind of why the project’s on hold. You couldn’t go up there and start sealing and then this big May rain dumps on it. Down below [within the building], there’s containers to catch water to prevent any more damage.”

With limited access to the build ing and upper bleacher section, SFCC facilities have made it a priority to take action in mitigating rainfall to prevent further damage, and restore the Sports Stadium to a structure that can be en joyed by students, athletes, faculty and the Bigfoot community, as it has been for fifty-three years. Until then,

“We have some pretty impressive buckets,” states Foraker.

Additionally impacted by the closure of Building 13, Professor and retired Spokane Falls Soccer Coach, Kenny Krestian’s office is located in the Sports Annex and his Stress Management class was set to be taught

there as well. Luckily, the re-adjust ment for Spring quarter wasn’t too extensive.

“Just this Stress Management class was moved.” said Krestian, “I’m currently the only full time faculty member with an office in the stadi um, but there are two adjunct faculty offices as well.”

Stress Management was moved into the Student Athletic Center (SAC) last minute before Spring Quarter ‘22 started, with no estimate for the span of the closure.

“Roughly in early to mid-March, a week or two before Spring Quarter started they told me to grab anything I might need because they didn’t know when we would be able to get back in.” said Krestian, “but we got the allclear at the beginning of May.”

Regardless of a location switchup, Krestian explained there wasn’t much difference between the two settings, the Sports Annex classrooms even had SmartBoards, as opposed to the SAC classrooms equipped with the classic whiteboards.

“There’s not much of a differ ence in terms of the classroom,” Kres tian stated, “however, the computer that is in my office in Building 13 is much better than the one in my tempo rary office in Building 7.”

Also learning to readjust this quarter, the Bigfoot Soccer teams were forced to sacrifice their locker rooms at the risk of the leaky structure.

Miguel Covarrubias, a first-year and Men’s Soccer athlete delves into

both the positive and negative aspects the closure of Building 13 has had on his team.

“Our temporary locker room was moved to the bathrooms behind the stadium.” Covarrubias said, “the one benefit to this was probably that it was still in the stadium, so we didn’t have to move far. The main struggle with that was that it was a bathroom so all of us just had to sit on the floor.”

Without a doubt, this was seem ingly a stressful adaptation, but Bigfoot Soccer was able to wrap up their season with a return to their original home base.

“We were able to return to the locker rooms for our last game of the spring season.” Covarrubias said, “not having the locker room affected us because being in the bathroom felt kind of like a joke and made it hard for us to take the game seriously. I would say being in the actual locker room helps us focus and get mentally prepared for games better.”

Overall, the temporary closure of the Sports Annex affects a multitude of individuals within the Bigfoot commu nity. Fortunately, the damages are not detrimental to the building’s structural quality, and come Summer, the building will soon begin to return to its original quality moving forwards for access to students, faculty and athletes as it has been for over fifty years.

This article was orgingally pub lished online in Spring 2022.

Fiona

Fiona Whitver | PHOTO

A view from the top of Building 13, featuring the SFCC logo on the sports media hut.

ATHLETE PROFILE- KILEY POWER

Volleyball player talks about being a student athlete.

Mattingly Kreider COMMUNICATOR

Kiley Power is a student and athlete playing volleyball at SFCC. She primarily is a setter but sometimes can be found in the back row as the teams libero

Kiley grew up in the small town of Colville Wash ington, later moving to Cheney Washington her senior year of high school. Going to school in Spokane has been a change

“I’m definitely more of a rural, small town kind of per son. I do love all the things that you can do here.” she said.

Kiley got an early start on her volleyball career.

“I basically popped out and was playing volleyball. My mom played, and guided me the whole way. We played the same position. It has been nice to have her as the one per son I could turn to for support when I wasn’t understanding what I was doing.” she said.

“I would highly recom mend it for anyone who has the opportunity to play after highschool, It is freeing in a sense. . . At a university there is a lot of competition and not a lot of court time, at junior college there is so much court time, and a lot of opportunity to grow and learn with that.” She said.

“I don’t know what it is about Junior colleges, but it feels like home. It is more personal. It is a great stepping stone into the real world.”

The dynamic of the volleyball team is uplifting and encouraging.

“We only have 12 girls, there is a lot of one-on-one time with the coaches, it is encouraging to play here.” she said.

“The environment is awesome. I don’t want to say perfect, but it is really close!”

Student athletes do it all. From work, friends, family and school, finding an even balance is crucial for success.

“Time management is a huge responsibility in student athletes. You have to learn how to prioritize.” she said.

Kiley expressed her need

and had a moment of stillness. Those little moments allow me to reset myself and reset my priorities.” she stated.

“Mentally, psycholog ically, you have to do what makes you happy. In the end it will make you a better person, student, and athlete if you can find time to prioritize your well-being.”

Student athletes are young, vulnerable, hard workers who on a daily basis are striving for the best when it comes to their athletic life and academic life.

“With our generation we are known to just shove our thoughts and feelings under the rug, especially as a student ath lete. We juggle so many things and are supposed to be okay and ready to perform 24/7.” she continued

“I think it is important for student athletes to know that your feelings are valid. As athletes many feel like they have to mask their emotions. Our sports are almost always our comfort space.”

She goes on to talk about personal experience.

“For me when I see that ball nothing else matters, all worries go away, which can honestly be a bad thing be cause we then are not dealing with our issues in a way that is always a healthy manner.” she stated.

The impact volleyball has had on her life is unlike any thing she could have imagined.

“Volleyball has made me an all around more versatile person. It has helped my char acter, my coping mechanism. My eyes have been opened to so many different perspectives. . .I didn’t fully realize how big mental health was and how effective it was going to be on my playing ability. Mental health is so important and made me realize that I want to work in a field centered around it.” she said.

“I honestly could say that if I didn’t do volleyball, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today.”

As far as the team goes for next year, expectations of a fun, lively group of girls ready to leave it all out on the court and win is high.

by example, and she did that very well this season. I remember thinking wow, this girl means business” she said.

Kiley made it clear she couldn’t have done this alone.

Kiley discussed the opportunities that she found beneficial playing for a com munity college.

to find time to focus on herself.

“I love solitude. Recent ly I went up to a sunset lookout spot on the south hill, I sat and listened to my worship music

“Volleyball has also allowed a lot of genuine relationships. That has helped me be more open to others and their different perspectives. Being diverse is important, our team on the Falls brought a lot of girls from many different places.” She continued,

“ Last year the sopho mores gave us a really good foundation to be leaders. This year the 3 of us sophomores were able to find a good flow with our freshmen. It allowed them to see the way we should treat and respect girls younger. A lot of the time with sports there is a toxic, entitlement, seniority way of thinking but we did our best to make the team one. ” she said.

Teammate Sydney Kinch, who is a freshman on the team this year had many positive words to say about one of her captains Kiley.

“ Kiley was an amazing role model for us all. She is the kind of person who leads

“My mom and my family have helped me and supported me for years. They don’t miss a game. My high school coaches, And of course my coaches this year and trainer Travis, have helped me mature a lot, in every mental and physical aspect” she said.

Head coach Taylor Stewart had many kind words to say about Kiley.

“It was a pleasure to see her grow with all the roles that were thrown at her this year.

. . She is one of the hardest working athletes that I’ve had the opportunity to be around and coach, possessing that in credible growth mindset, and is an even better human who always leads from her heart.” she said.

Jeff Gregory | PHOTOS

Kiley waves to the crowd at sophmore night