Mar 12, 2009 (40.8)

C

The

ommunicator Spokane Falls Community College

March 12 - March 25, 2009

Celebrating 40 years of campus coverage.

Volume 40 Issue 8

Budget cuts target higher ed

Zac Whitman

The Communicator

Perspectives Optional science classes Page 5.

Flavors Rockwood Bakery feature Page 6.

Jolene Denny/The Communicator

By smoking in the covered station, Tia Sijer and Jen Cobbs reduce the air pollution and their chances of citation.

Focus SEX Tips Page 9.

Culture Core book author Jess Walter Page 12.

Sidelines Basketball playoffs Page 14.

Only online Multimedia presentation on the Holocaust, coming soon.

SFCC security lax on smoking enforcement Kayleigh Jenson

With the Dow Jones in freefall and the economy rapidly declining, SFCC, along with the nation’s higher education system, finds itself in a state of institutional purgatory.

As Washington state’s deficit rises to $8.1 billion, the governor and legislature begin to look to education to shore Zac Whitman/The Communicator up a failing sales-tax Administrators, faculty collaborate to solve SFCC’s budget concerns. base economy. Since September 2008, the has been stagnant for to Pam Praeger, Vice reduction in courses President of SFCC available. What this state’s deficit has bal- the last month.”

SFCC faces a pro- these savings may be means for the student looned to its current amount, with anoth- jected budget cut of used to close the gap population is unclear, er revenue forecast $963,000 and admin- that budget cuts have but the consensus is Currently, that it would likely scheduled for March istrators are looking created. at options to make there are at least two mean larger class19. positions, room sizes and lower “We are trying to up for this reduction unfilled get information out without reducing ser- equal to a savings of instructor availability to people, so they vices or faculty posi- roughly $170,000 per according to Palek.

Charlie Earl, Chief year. There was also can make the right tions.

Director One option is not one position filled Executive decisions,” said SFCC President Mark Palek. filling vacant faculty by a replacement at for the State Board administrative a savings of about of Community and “But right now it feels and Technical Colleges like the information positions, as faculty $17,000 per year.

“Our intent is to (SBCTC) is heavmembers retire or leave maintain a high qual- ily involved with the SFCC. These ity of education and budgeting process at hat we positions are access,” Praeger said. the state and federal have done is already bud- “In these troubled level.

“What we have work with the geted for in times, it is hard to done is work with find a balance.” the operating colleges, so As many other high- the colleges, so they budget and they can make not filling er-ed institutions, like can make the best the best deciState decision at the local the positions Washington sion at the lo- means payroll University and the level,” Earl said.

The SBCTC has savings for the University of Washcal level” i n s t i t u t i o n . ington, administrators are considering a See Target on page 2.

- Charlie Earl A c c o r d i n g

by asking anyone who is violating the smoking policy to please stop,” Smoking too close to Hauenstein said. “Most building entrances could people do not even realize earn students a hefty fine.

The revised Clean Indoor they are in violation and move when asked.”

Air Act (CIAA) was passed According to an article in Washington in Decemthat appeared in USA ber, 2005. According to Today last October, more the bill, smoking is strictly colleges across the country prohibited within 25 feet of any building entrance to are stamping out smoking on campus all together. prevent contaminated air Frieda Edgette, a lobbyist from getting inside. It also for the group Americans extends to windows and for Nonsmokers’ Rights “ventilation intakes that (ANR), said that 140 colserve indoor public places lege campuses in the U.S. or places of employment.” are now smoke-free.

Dennis Hauenstein, “The momentum is SFCC’s Security and Safety growing,” Edgette said.

Supervisor said they have With signs posted on the power to request campus warning smokers the school’s disciplinary to stay 25 feet away from action and to write up buildings, SFCC security tickets with the authority officers have had little of the Municipal Courts of need to enforce the new Spokane. laws.

“The new, comprehen“We get very few comsive law prohibits smoking in all indoor public places, plaints about the smokincluding restaurants, bars, ing,” Hauenstein said.

Though some students taverns, bowling alleys, would beg to differ, inskating rinks, non-tribal cluding Nicole Graybeal, casinos, and in all places 18, and a middle blocker of employment (any place on the CCS volleyball employees must pass team. through during the course “I hate walking outside of employment),” states Hilary Vandenbark/The Communicator the department of Health’s after class and having to Karissa Walden is one of many students looking for help from website, www.doh.wa.gov. walk through a cloud of Shelli Cockle and the financial aid office to finance education. smoke,” she said.

“First we try to educate

The Communicator

The Communicator

“W

Student need for financial aid skyrockets

(509) 533-3602

Kirk Bayman

The Communicator Last year, 8.9 million students requested federal student aid. That figure is up 16 percent from 2007, when the current economic crisis was still labeled as a financial one.

College students are borrowing more and more money to pay for their education, and borrowing is now the most popular option for paying for college, says a Gallup study com-

See Debt on page 2.

www.spokanefalls.edu/communicator

page 2

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

news

The Communicator

Debt: credit cards or loans?

Andrew Watson/The Communicator

Proposed Washington legislation expands students’ free speech rights Jon Brown

The Communicator Free speech is a right granted by the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, but it hasn’t always applied to students. A new bill set before the Washington state senate could change that.

Senate Bill 5946 (SB 5946) proposes an expansion of free speech rights to Washington’s student journalists. Those rights have been limited since the 1988 Supreme Court ruling in Hazelwood School District v.

Kuhlmeier, which expanded school administrators’ control over what is published in school newspapers and other publications.

“I think it’s important to not only educate our students but to trust them,” said Senator Joe McDermott, primary author of SB 5946, speaking at a hearing to promote the bill. “And empower them with the rights and responsibilities that are entrusted to them in our Constitution.”

The law currently gives high

school and college authorities the power to censor the content of all school-funded publications. According to Mark Goodman, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center (SPLC), the law is usually used to cut articles or statements that criticize school policies or faculty.

“Far and away that is our largest category of material that’s subject to censorship,” said Goodman in a phone interview with Poynter Online, the website for the Poynter Institute, a school for students and teachers of journalism.

Nine states have already overturned Hazelwood, but bills similar to SB 5946 have failed to pass in 25 other states, including an almost identical bill that stalled in Washington’s senate in 2007 after it was heavily criticized in an editorial published by The Seattle Times.

“The problem with…[the] bill is that it almost completely takes the educators out of the process - a process that is rooted in the classroom,” the Times wrote.

“Journalism teachers would still

Target: SFCC aims for stability Continued from page 1.

asked administrators to look at reducing their budgets by five, seven and 10 percent in 2009-2010.

What the 5 percent = $910,865 numbers 7 percent = $1,275,211 mean: 10 percent = $1,821,730 The administration is also laboring under restrictions at the state level. On Feb. 18, Governor Gregoire (D-WA) signed into law a “belt-tightening” bill. The bill outlines four spending limitations that would be in affect until at least July 1.

be allowed to teach grammar and all the basics needed to become a journalist, but the bill denies them the ability to truly teach essential journalistic intangibles such as editorial judgment.”

Supporters of SB 5946, like Mike Hiestand, an attorney for the SPLC, see it as a return to the free speech standards in place prior to 1988 and Hazelwood. Teachers and advisers would maintain the responsibility to properly instruct student journalists in how to write the news. Teachers and advisers would not be required, however, to cull student-generated articles that negatively portray a school or its officials.

“This bill creates a reasonable and workable balance between the rights of students to meaningfully express themselves and the need for school officials to maintain an orderly learning environment,” said Hiestand in an article on the SPLC’s website. “Essentially it does nothing more than give student journalists back the same protections their parents had before 1988.”

able,” read the ISAC report. The report went on to say how student lenders started making less money on their loans while having to spend more to raise funds.

Coupled with the ongoing credit crunch and the new regulations, the return a lender received on a loan fell, and even turned negaContinued from page 1. tive.

Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of missioned by the Sallie Mae cor- the financial aid website FinAid. poration, a leading provider of org, expects that of the nearly 2,000 lenders presently particistudent loans.

The average student debt pating in the Federal Family Eduin Washington in 2007 was cation Loan Program, only 15 $18,771, with 59 percent of stu- will remain in the program by dents in debt, according to an next year. FFELP is the primary student October 2008 report released by federally-guaranteed The Project on Student Debt, a loan program.

More than 150 private lenders division of the Institute for College Access and Success that spe- left the student loan market in cializes in monitoring the ongo- 2008, according to a CreditCards. ing trend of borrowing money to com article by Melody Warnick published in October 2008. With pay for college. “[Paying for college] has be- sources drying up, some families come a significant, significant and students scrambled for funds, life cost,” said Sallie Mae Senior many turning to credit cards to Vice President Tom Joyce in an cover costs at the last minute.

“This year, people got burned.

August, 2008 press conference concerning the study. “It’s going Some people put tuition on a credit card while to be one of the aying for they were still in the major purchases college process of getting across a lifetime. a new student loan The old model of has become company to take the how to plan for a significant place of the one they this probably no life cost” thought they had,” longer applies.” said Mary McGrath, According to a - Tom Joyce a certified financial briefing released planner with Cozad by the Illinois StuAsset Management dent Assistance Commission (ISAC), a group in Champaign, Ill., quoted in the based in Deerfield, Ill. that helps same CreditCards.com article.

The Higher Education Services students and families pay for college, the student loan industry Corporation (HESC), an Albany, was affected by the sub-prime New York company that specialmortgage meltdown that started izes in helping people plan and in mid-2007. At first, the financial pay for college, issued a release crisis only mildly affected the in- warning students about the risks dustry. Eventually, the market re- associated with credit card debt.

“Credit cards can be a good sponsible for the majority of student loan financing completely way for parents and students to froze, dramatically restricting the help manage money while in colavailability of new student loans. lege and to handle emergencies,” Then, in the fall of 2007, the the HESC statement said. “But if federal government enacted the credit cards are not used careCollege Cost Reduction and Ac- fully, students can rack up credit cess Act (CCRAA), cutting rough- card debt, often with a high rate ly $21 billion in federal subsidies of interest.”

According to a study conducted for student loans.

“The sweeping changes in- and published by the U. S. Censtituted by CCRAA profoundly sus Bureau, Americans currently changed the economics of the hold some $832 billion in credit student loan industry overnight card debt, and that number is exand rendered some previously pected to exceed $1 trillion by viable business entities unprofit- 2010.

“P

• Hiring Freeze:

• Equipment Purchases:

Vacancies and new positions cannot be filled if they are supported by state funds or tuition unless they are “directly related to academic programs.”

State agencies and institutions are prohibited from entering into any contract or other agreement for the acquisition of any equipment costing more than $5,000 in state funds or tuition. The freeze does not apply to purchases necessary for maintaining federal funds, or to purchases paid from local funds.

Despite economic hardships facing institutions across Washington, Praeger believes SFCC is in a relatively sheltered position. The CCS board of trustees mandates five percent of the state-operating budget to be saved in a reserve. Also through “prudent and judicial” spending SFCC has been able to put additional funds away in a “rain day” fund. These monies can be used in times of financial emergencies.

“About three years ago we could have done a big woop-dee-do, but we try to be a college that is innovative and provide services,” Praeger said. “We try to be responsible with the citizen’s funds.”

• Personal Services Contracts: State agencies and institutions are prohibited from entering into a contract or other agreement for the acquisition of personal services using state funds or tuition.

The freeze does not apply to contracts or agreements where the costs are funded exclusively from private or federal grants, where the costs are necessary to receive or maintain federal funds, or where the costs are paid with local funds.

• Out-of-State Travel and Training: State agencies and institutions are prohibited from making expenditures using state funds or tuition for out-of-state travel and out-of-state training. The freeze does not apply to expenditures from private or federal grants, or from local funds.

Senate social Kirk Bayman

The Communicator The Student Union Building (SUB) lounges will be transformed into a high-roller’s casino on March 18 when the Student Senate hosts their annual social.

There will be tables for blackjack and Texas Hold’em-style poker—played with faux-cash—as well as raffles for those who shy from card games.

Students are encouraged to dress up for the occasion. Those who come in formal attire will be considered VIPs and will receive “high-roller” treatment, said said SFCC Senate Academic Vice President Alex Croutch.

“We’ll have drinks, gambling, music, everybody in their nicest gear...dress to impress,” said Croutch. “We’re going to try to make it as classy as we can without real money and alcohol.”

page 3

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

news

Entering the debate

The Communicator

News in brief:

local, national, and international happenings

Speech and Debate Club hosts regional tournament Joseph Engle

Jon Brown

The Communicator

The Communicator

The speech and debate tournament brought over 100 students from 11 schools from four states to the SFCC campus. The event spanned two days and nearly 25 hours.

The tournament consisted of everything from solo speech events to team-based parliamentary debate.

Aptly titled Battle of the Sexes, many of the topics for the debate were tied in to the Celebration of the Sexes Week theme.

“What we’ve done is included some very specific topics related to gender,” said Tracy Palm, SFCC speech and debate adviser.

Although SFCC did not place first in any of the events, Jaylan Renz, first-year team member, won third place novice speaker in parliamentary debate.

The SFCC team is comprised entirely of novice (or first-year) debaters, from all different areas of study around the school.

Students who competed in the tournament were eligible to earn what are called “legs” which can qualify them to compete at the national level.

One kind of speech event is called open persuasion. Students pick their own topic and then give an 8- to 10-minute speech in front of a judge and a small number of peers. The persuasive speeches are generally on a topic that is weighty and controversial, and include a call to action, a call for change.

All events require learning a certain repetoire of skills. Speaking skills are a must, the ability to quote outside sources (sometimes on the spot) is critical, and keeping up with current world events is essential.

“I love debating,” said Melissa Clarke, freshman. “You get to learn new things.”

This was Clarke’s second tournament with the SFCC speech and debate team.

She said she was particularly excited about the individual speech portion of the tournament.

“Individual events are more (about) interpreting things,” Clarke said.

Clarke said her favorite part of speech and debate is the relationship she has with her teammates.

“I love them, they are fantastic,” Clarke said. “(You) kind of acquire a bond with them.”

David Manke, sophomore, agrees.

“Some of the funniest people in the world are in the speech and debate group here at the Falls,” Manke said.

Manke, an SFCC speech and debate team member last year, competed in just this event this year. Although no longer officially part of the team, he simply could not stay away. He competed in the tournament as an addition to the SFCC team.

“I really do relish in debate,” Manke said. “It is the king of clash.”

For Manke, debate has a real-world application in the workplace.

“I have learned so much that has helped make me a better sales person,” Manke said.

•

A memorial fund has been established in the name of Eric Anderson, the SCC coach and instructor who was killed in an accident last month.

The fund will help provide scholarships for student athletes. Donations an be dropped off at any Spokane Teachers Credit Union (STCU) branch.

•

The Women’s Leadership Conference of the Inland Northwest (WLCIN) handed out their annual awards, honoring SFCC instructor Mary Ann Sanger and SFCC Business Technology student Kelly Walleigh. According to the WLCIN, the awards are given to women in the community who are, “dedicated leaders who have earned admiration and respect...have vision and bring others toward it by way of collaborations...face life’s changes with grace and courage...and live with dignity, integrity, and honor through (their) commitments.”

•

SFCC’s Rich Cummins was elected Regional Vice President of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

•

The SFCC Speech and Debate team will compete in a national tournament at Louisiana State University (Shreveport) March 18-21. The team will participate in individual and group events, including extemporaneous speech and parliamentary debate.

•

A former police officer in Alabama shot and killed 10 people before turning his gun on himself in the deadliest crime in Alabama history. Among the victim’s were the shooter’s mother and the 3-monthold child of a sheriff’s deputy.

•

A school shooting in Germany left 9 students and 3 teachers dead. The gunman killed 2 other people at a car dealership during the rampage before being shot to death by German police.

•

Violence continues to escalate in Mexico, as warring drug cartels battle for control of territory and supply lines to the U.S. and Europe.

•

President Barack Obama reversed the Bush administration’s ban on funding for embryonic stem-cell research, saying in a White House memo that, “Science and the scientific process must inform and guide decisions of my Administration on a wide range of issues, including improvement of public health...The public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy decisions. Political officials should not suppress or alter scientific or technological findings and conclusions.”

Zac Whitman/The Communicator

U.S. lawmakers scramble to fix the most dramatic economic contraction in 80 years.

Where the money goes Zac Whitman

The Communicator

President Obama and a largely democrat congress have passed the largest domestic spending plan in the nations history, $787 billion. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is geared towards revitalizing a lagging economy and rebuilding the infrastructure of the country. While the bill invests heavily in capital projects, it also has provisions for higher education systems that have seen drastic cuts to budgets and for students as colleges and universities, raise tuition rates. Patty Murray has estimated Washington’s share of the money at over $6.7 billion, with a positive employment impact of 75,000 jobs. Specifically, this legislation would directly benefit higher education by allocating: •

$39.5 billion (Washington’s estimated share = $820 million) in education block grants to local school districts and public colleges and universities.

•

$25 billion (Washington’s estimated share = $182 million) in flexible block grants to avert budget cuts in K-12 and higher education or in other basic state services, such as public safety, services for the elderly, or childcare.

•

$17.1 billion for student Pell grants, increasing the maximum Pell grant to $5,350 in 2009 and $5,550 in 2010.

•

The Act creates a new tax credit, the “American Opportunity Tax Credit” which will provide a tax credit up to $2,500 of the cost of tuition and related expenses paid during the taxable year.

•

$3.95 billion (Washington’s estimated share = $50.3 million) for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) job training and employment services including state formula grants for dislocated workers, as well as youth, and adult programs.

•

$750 million for a new program of competitive grants for worker retraining and placement in high-growth and emerging industries.

Odd combos facilitate learning Jean Loeffler

The Communicator Maybe it’s using the Matrix to learn about the nature of consciousness, or using literature as a metaphor for the ice-pick that can help chip away at the “frozen sea” within us all; SFCC’s learning community classes attempt to explore alternatives to traditional class structures.

Red Pill, Blue Pill is a class that combines communication, humanities and social science - all through the lens of the movie “The Matrix,” a pop-culture phenomenon released 10 years ago. Heather Keast, Evelyn Florio, and Barbara Williamson collaborate in teaching the class.

“We know that students do better in subsequent quarters and stay in college longer and do better on their continuing quarters because they process on a higher level,” Williamson said. “We know that learning doesn’t usually happen in a chunk of time

in real life, so a learning community better mimics learning organically...it’s really a wonderful way to learn just in general.”

Another of the learning community classes is dubbed “Weird Science,” and offers a lab science credit for non-science majors while combining English composition with chemistry. There are field trips, learning activities and bi-weekly seminars.

“Overall, we write about the chemistry we are learning about,” said Kellie Fischer who teaches the English portion of the class. “Students leave with a new respect for their world because chemistry is everywhere in our lives.”

Adriana Bishop, the chemistry teacher of the class, said she expects the students to eventually show their mastery of chemistry concepts, incorporating their knowledge of chemistry into projects and presentations.

Information about other Learning Community classes can be found online at spokanefalls.edu.

Perspectives

Page 4 • Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

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science because it is not of interest or their major in school.

Science is the reason why we have college majors available to understand technology and how Science plays a role in everyto develop new things. Also, this one’s lives whether they think is how we are able to test new of it as positive or negative. If science was not included in our medications and vaccinations that help with diseases such as lives, medications would not AIDS, HIV, and various forms of exist, people would not have cancer. Contact lenses, allergy contact lenses or any other technology, and we would know medicines, and sanitation not only for houses but also for things like nothing about why the world getting a piercing and tattoos are works the way it does. all things that are used everyday The issues that were faced that scientists had to invent and years ago were whether or not people should believe the scien- teach people how to use. tists or people believing that the Religion and science tend to but scientists were mentally unstable heads on certain subjects because or possessed. Scientists were the of religious beliefs that are passed outcasts of the world while they on by a text or by a church-type setting. Another issue that faces were developing theories and science and religion is the idea concepts we still use today. that the world is going to end The main issue that is faced in 2012. This idea has separate now is whether something schools of thought from both is moral or immoral to persides but ultimately it boils down form. One side that is against to what the individual believes some of these experiments in. The battle between science is those from religious backand religion will never be congrounds. This is by no means cluded but some people are learnthe only group of people that ing to take issues not as science do not believe in some of the verses religion but more as what experiments. There are people they want to believe in with the who just do not want to be evidence provided. involved with any thoughts of

Down Syndrome testing morally acceptable To Put It Nicely

Hilary Vandenbark the

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ommunicator spokane falls community college

The decision to test for Down Syndrome is complex and many women choose not to do it because of the risk of miscarriage associated with the test.

For those who do choose to test for Down syndrome, there are two ways to do so. One involves taking tissue from the fetus, which comes with great risk to its health. An alternative, called Maternal Serum Screening, draws the mother’s blood to test for certain markers which are indicative of developmental abnormalities, including Down.

Another test, for later on in the pregnancy, is through a normal ultrasound which will look at the the amount of fluid collected at the fetus’ neck, according to an article by Dr. Len Leshin on ds-health.com. Women who test positively in these tests can go for more definitive and risky tests if they so choose.

Down Syndrome occurs when a fetus has 47 chromosomes rather than the normal 46. It delays some development both physically and intellectually, according the the National Association for Down Syndrome’s website, nads.org.

With these safer tests that are nearly as accurate, testing is ethically okay to me. However, testing should only be used so expecting parents can plan on any special care or accommodations their child may need.

According to a 2004 Harvard

Medical School study by Brian Skotko, 733 babies are born with Down syndrome in the U.S each year. The study also showed 650 of these fetuses are prenatally diagnosed. Skotko’s study indicates that 90 percent of women who tested positively for a Down Baby chose to terminate the pregnancy. Pregnant women should not abort fetuses with Down syndrome. The reason he suggested is the women’s health care provider usually discouraged continuing with the pregnancy. Another reason may be that living with a Down Baby is a daunting task and many just want an easy way out. Whatever the reason, this trend is becoming reminiscent of Nazi Germany and other genocidal societies who just exterminate anyone considered to be a ‘burden to society.’

According to a Washington Post article on Feb. 24, the National Down Syndrome Society is lobbying for legislation to help women with Down syndrome children. The law also aims to get potential parents more information concerning genetic conditions.

I understand that I’ve never been put in the position that these potential mothers are in, but with the different support groups that can be found online or in the communities, there is help enough that living with a Down Baby is feasible. Nothing worth having is ever easy, the same goes for babies. Women shouldn’t just look for a way to get out of their responsibilities.

Life is the question; evolution is the answer Uncommon Sense

Jon Brown

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the

Our

Edited By: Judy Johnson

ommunicator spokane falls community college

If the case of of Evolution vs.

Creationism and Intelligent Design were ever to be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court, evolution’s victory would, on the strength of evidence alone, be a resounding one.

The major obstacle to the acceptance of evolution by Americans has been that evolution and tightly-held beliefs in religious creation myths are irreconcilable. In a series of surveys published by National Geographic in 2006, the United States came in 33rd out 34 countries when asked whether or not evolution is true. This rather embarassing statistic undoubdtedly has a connection to many Americans’ unswerving belief in the literal truth of biblical scripture. Sophisticated theologians, however, have long accepted the stories from the Bible and other holy books as primitive, symbolic explanations for natural phenomena written by authors who had no better alternative to describe life’s mysteries. Religious objection to Darwin’s theory has lately given rise to absurd ideas like “Intelligent Design” (ID), which proposes that some unspecified, sentient being touched off the process of evolution and has since carefully guided it through its various stages.

Creationism and Intelligent Design share many of the same problems when viewed from a scientific perspective. Perhaps most glaringly, both Creationism and ID start with with an incredibly complex entity - without offering any explanation or hypothesis about how that entity came into being. Evolution, in stark contrast, starts with incredibly simple, unicellular organisms that slowly evolve over hundreds of millions of years - and offers evidence to support the process.

The problem of how matter of any kind originally came into being is one that cannot yet be confidently answered by science or religion. But science has dedicated itself to continually advancing our knowledge of the natural world in pursuit of

the answers to such questions.

Creationism and ID arrive to the party with an answer in hand “God did it” - without providing a shred of evidence to support their grandiose claims.

Evolution is backed up by mountains of evidence compiled throughout a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Some of the most exciting, convincing evidence presented in recent years comes from the field of genetics.

Scientists have mapped the complete genomes of various organisms, and have found genetic “triggers” or “switches” that determine how an organism is constructed. These discoveries have helped researchers understand how different forms of life define themselves while sharing significant strands of identical DNA. The fact that all life is so closely related on a genetic level - that we humans, for instance, share 60 percent of our DNA with bananas - points convincingly to a common ancestor.

The scientific consensus is that all modern humans originated somewhere in East Africa about 200,000 years ago. The differences in our appearance - facial features, skin color, etc. - are superficial; little more than inherited traits from different combinations of genes passed on through nomadic, communal groups of our ancient ancestors. Diet, climate, and other environmental variables made certain traits more or less desirable in different settings as humans spread out across the globe. Individuals with the most advantageous sets of traits for a given setting survived more successfully, and were able to pass those traits on to their progeny.

Now, after 200 millennia, we are all examples of an evolutionary success story; walking repositories of genetic information that has survived since the dawn of our species.

150 years ago, Charles Darwin gave us the best explanation we have for the origin and progression of life. His theory has been rigorously challenged, universally supported by evidence, and has yet to encounter an alternative theory that can match it truth for truth.

The Communicator creates opportunities for students to take away life lessons, encouraging each individual to work with a team to produce every issue, multimedia project and web page. The students are responsible for every aspect of putting the newspaper together, including advertising, writing, photography and page design.

Editor-in-Chief Madison McCord communicator.madison.mccord@gmail.com

Managing Editor Hilary Vandenbark communicator.hilary.vandenbark@gmail.com

News Editor - Jon Brown communicator.jon.brown@gmail.com

Perspectives Editor - Judy Johnson communicator.judy.johnson@gmail.com

Focus Editor -Samantha Blehm communicator.sam.blehm@gmail.com

Culture Editor - Jolene Denny communicator.jolene.denny@gmail.com

Flavors Editor -Sarah Radmer communicator.sarah.radmer@gmail.com

Sidelines Editor - Allen Stover communicator.allen.stover@gmail.com

Images Editor - Brianne Davis communicator.brianne.davis@gmail.com

Multimedia Editor -Judy Johnson

communicator.judy.johnson@gmail.com

Copy Desk Chief- Sheena Thompson

communicator.sheena.thompson@gmail. com

Advertising Director -Madison McCord advertising@spokanefalls.edu

Senior Reporters - Jean Loeffler, Melissa Ross, Zac Whitman Staff Reporters - Dana Bartlow, Kirk Bayman, Joseph Engle, Steffani Farrell, Jessica Gadingan, Wendy Gaskill, Kathleen Gold, Kayleigh Jenson, Antonia Smith, Billy Sweetser, Andrew Watson Photographers - Dana Bartlow, Kathleen Gold Adviser - Jason Nix jasonn@spokanefalls.edu

To contact The Communicator with story ideas: comeic@spokanefalls.edu

To contact staff members:

communicator.firstname.lastname@gmail.com

*Please Note*

The Communicator is an open forum for student coverage and opinion that is entirely student edited and produced, with absolutely no prior review from the faculty or administrators of Spokane Falls Community College. The content in this publication is the responsibility of the student staff of the Communicator, and as such do not necessarily reflect the view of Spokane Falls Community College administrators, faculty, or the student body.

Individual student contributions to the opinion page or any other section of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or the student staff of the Communicator. *The first copy of an issue is free, additional copies are 50 cents*

page 5

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Sheena

Perspectives

The Bacterial Flagellum

Thompson Evolution can be proven by bacteria

Bacterial Flagellum, at first glance, appears to be an impressive break-through between science and religion, but it’s simply a form of evolution.

The propeller, or tail, of Bacterial Flagellum is the source of controversy.

Religious proponents argue that this tail is too “smart” to have evolved. In fact, scientists have cut the tail off of some of these organisms and have compared them to bacteria with the flagella intact. With the tails cut off, the bacteria seem disoriented and are unable to perform as usual.

This evidence is sufficient for the religuloscientists.

However, flagellum is comprised of protein, or amino acids that create DNA. DNA is proven to have the ability to change as necessary. Take E. Coli, for example - when this bacterium mutates, based on the need to travel within the body, it will automatically develop a type of flagella.

Staphylococcus, Pneumonia, Gonorrhea, Tuberculosis, and many other types of bacteria commonly mutate. This mutation occurs spontaneously based on the environment the bacteria is in. This is the perfect example of “survival of the fittest.”

When a bacteria is in danger of extinction, or being eliminated from its host, Brian

The Communicator

vs.

Coombs, assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the Institute for Infectious Disease Research, explains that most of the genes in bacteria lay dormant until they are needed. In fact, bacterial cells contain about 5,000 different genes and “the difference between being able to cause disease, or not cause disease, lies in where, when and what genes in this collection are turned on,” says Coombs. “Bacteria can evolve to turn on just the right combination of genes in order to cause disease in the host.”

In any cluster of bacteria, genes express themselves normally until they are exposed to an antibiotic. When some of these microbes die, descendents from the originals will go through a process of genetic recombination and will continue to pass along mutated genes causing the original information to be lost and also rendering many vaccines or antibiotics useless. If a vaccine can eliminate some strains and antibiotics can eliminate some strains, that means that bacteria can evolve.

Scientists want to prove that flagellum is a product of macroevolution, and while they’ve found fossils that prove that microevolution has occurred, they are content to know that if microevolution can occur in less than four thousand years. Whether or not we’ll find a fossil of Bacterial Flagellum, is a mystery, but it’s proven that DNA can mutate for the purpose of survival.

judy

johnson

Evidence proves an intelligent designer Intelligent Design has been in question for years, but now there is proof that it is true. The Bacterial Flagellum is the key to making this argument.

Bacteria have been studied by scientists for years but have just recently made the discovery of the flagellum. This part of the cell is made of many parts that fit together to make a similar motor as one would find in a boat motor. There is a propeller (filament), a hook (universal joint), bushing, a rotor and stator, which are only a fraction of the many parts. Michael Behe says that the flagellum could not operate if any of the parts were missing. He also said that these things could not have evolved, there is too much intelligent design in it, just like a car motor. This flagellum is what mobilizes the cell. This discovery destroys the idea of evolution, which admitted that there could be a flaw in his theory.

“If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down,” Charles Darwin. Darwin was an intelligent man but he did not have the equipment or help of prior theories to understand the claim that he was making. I believe if the Bacte-

rial Flagellum was discovered in his time era, then he would have formed a different theory.

William Paley, born 1743 studied for Anglican priesthood and wrote many books on philosophy and Christianity, created The Analogical Teleological Argument that backs up the proof of the Bacterial Flagellum. His argument follows the analogy of a watch is to a watch maker as universe is to universe maker. Take a part of the watch away, the watch no longer works, the same as the universe and the Bacterial Flagellum.

The reason why the Bacterial Flagellum exists is because of the Creator, proven

by Paley’s argument and the Bible. In the Bible it said that “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being,” Genesis 2:7.

Over the years science and religion have made tremendous discoveries about the world and the things that live in it. But the question of how we came to be should not be up for discussion. We need to use science, such as the discovery of the Bacterial Flagellum, to back up the meaning and creation of life. We need need to use it to help define religion, not destroy it. The Creator created science for us to use to understand ourselves and the world we live in, not to question His existence.

Investment in environment role for government Matters Of Conscience

a vital part of modern civilization. Most Americans don’t even understand that it takes a pound of coal to power their television for four and a half hours or that they drive 15,000 miles a year on average and there is none that is going to walk it.

So if civilization must be fueled by necessary evils, the problem is not finding alternatives or reducing “addictions.”

Rather, reducing the emissions of these giants, levels of consumption are not going to decrease. The economy will not allow it and it is the economy that fuels civilization. It allows for the useless comforts that inundate the West and the lifestyle that it is accustomed to having.

A coal power plant costs $2.3 billion to build and implementing clean coal technologies would increase this by hundreds of millions.

In an interview Ling Wen, CEO of Shenhua Energy, said his jobs was to make money for his shareholders and if his shareholders wanted him to make global

climate change a high priority, he would.

He also said that this was not the case.

Wen is completely right, a private industry’s job is to meet consumer’s demands and in turn make a profit, not fix the woes of a civilization on the brink of disaster.

This is the role of government.

Leading climate experts, environmentalists and economists almost unilaterally agree that carbon emission must be reduced by 80 percent by 2050. The alternative is perpetual droughts that will envelope the globe, and result in the death of millions in every country on Earth.

Luckily, the government is in a unique position and throwing around money like confetti. The Obama administration has pledged to implement a cap-and-trade system that would reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050 and to improve fuel efficiency standards in the next 18 years.

The administration needs to expedite this process by any means necessary.

Their proposal is a great stepping point.

The administration must ensure the rapid implementation clean coal technologies, by subsidizing the implementation costs, through tax incentives and loan programs.

This would create thousands of jobs, and reduce carbon emissions. Thus at least in the short term, meeting the needs of society while reducing the affects of the planets biggest source of pollution.

In order to make electric cars affordable for the general public, the government needs to implement what author Edwin S. Black called the “Green Fleet Initiative.”

This initiative proposes the U.S. government replace their fleet of vehicles, the largest in the world, with electric vehicles, thereby allowing automakers to mass-produce these cars and truck. Then they can be affordable for everyone.

While alternatives to coal do exist and will be found, at least we would have breathing room to find the correct alternative, while the conveyor belt of American energy rolls on.

Science courses should be optional

it, “prepare you more for college classes.”

While the preparation idea isn’t too terribly bad, many 100-level college science courses basically re-teach what you learned in your basic high school science classes, which causes the student to do poorly due to their “I learned this already” attitudes.

The Community Colleges of Spokane require a minimum of 10 science credits, with a minimum of one laboratory science course. However, I don’t know about anyone else, but the AA requirements list is kinda confusing to read, and it seems easy to take the wrong science classes other than the ones that are needed. So, if a student takes the wrong classes, does that mean the student is completely fucked over in their quest for their AA degree? Not only does it cost the student the tuition of the class and

the price of whatever books and class fees there are, it also costs the student a quarter’s worth of time that could have spent in a different class, setting them back a quarter and extending their time at SCC or SFCC before they finally get to transfer to a four-year. By making science classes electives, the pressure of taking the right science classes is off the student’s shoulders.

With that being said, I think science classes should be made optional. They could be counted as electives and since the pressure of needing that class to earn a degree would be gone. With the pressure off, I believe students would be more comfortable exploring their interests in science, such as astronomy or chemistry.

The freedom to explore these interests could also lead a student to pursue a degree in science.

Zac Whitman the

C

ommunicator spokane falls community college

Miles of trains transport 1 million tons of coal across the country, less than one third of the countries’ energy demand, for just one day.

Coal burning power plants produce 52 percent of America’s electricity and are the largest producers of greenhouse gases on Earth. At 2 billion tons of CO2, coal emits greenhouse gases equal to the total worldwide flow of petroleum.

Coal is only the tip of the pollutant triumvirate, which includes automobiles and the process of making cement. These three account, for 40 percent of the Earth’s CO2 emissions and cement can be partially removed because it uses coal during its creation process.

The problem is that coal and cars are

Yeah, I Went There

Brianne Davis the

C

ommunicator spokane falls community college

With everything else students are required to fulfill for a degree, science classes seem like the ones that, unless part of a student’s chosen major, shouldn’t even be required.

I would be the first person in a room full of people to admit that I’m not a fan of science classes. In high school, I was the girl that took Agricultural Science to avoid dissecting frogs in biology. That was kind of a bust, seeing as how I had to take biology anyways. I hated science classes in high school and some of them in college,

but that doesn’t mean I hate science.

I love the idea of science, learning new things and experimenting. However, I do not love the idea of being told what I need to be learning and when I get to learn it. By mandating that students are required to take a certain amount of certain types of science classes in order to meet requirements and obtain degrees, the desire to learn is lost. The students see science as something they’re forced to take, therefore having no interest in what’s being taught. That, in turn, wastes not only the student’s time, but the instructor’s time as well.

High schools require that you reach a certain level of science to graduate and, as the counselors at my alma mater put

Page 6 • Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Flavors

Edited By: Sarah radmer

Fresh out of the oven

Rockwood bakery boasts a wide variety of baked goods Kathleen Gold

The Communicator The fresh-out-of-the-oven pies made from scratch and a family atmosphere is what customers will experience at the Rockwood Bakery.

“The bakery speaks for itself,” said Bryan Cosby, manager of the Rockwood Bakery.

Cosby said that word of mouth is what brings the customers into the bakery.

Crosby is a good listener and a friend to all of his customers.

“I really enjoy the stories the regular customers share with me,” Cosby said.

Along with the great conversations, people enjoy the baked-from-scratch cookies, cakes, breads and more.

“We are the only bakery in town that bakes from scratch,” said Sarah Duke, head baker at the Rockwood Bakery.

Homemade soups, sandwiches and salads are also offered by the bakery are complimented by a cozy down-to-earth atmosphere, where one can relax and enjoy the flavors of

home-style delights.

The bakery has a colorful décor with tables and chairs, and a comfortable couch in the back, so customers can relax and enjoy a morning cup of coffee or an afternoon lunch.

Cosby said the bakery is the place to go for quiet where customers can enjoy a morning cup of coffee, but the afternoons are quite busy and full of conversation.

“We can accommodate 90 people at a time,” Cosby said.

Cosby is enthusiastic that his employees uphold his high standards and feels that this is why his customers always come back.

“We take a lot of pride in each drink we turn out,” Cosby said.

“Along with everything else the bakery makes.”

According to Cosby, what was envisioned by Kammy Magnuson, owner, was a small but quaint bakery but has evolved into what the Rockwood Bakery is today.

Cosby said Magnuson imag-

Kathleen Gold/Communicator

Cody Smith leaves Rockwood Bakery enjoying one of Rockwood’s freshly baked-from-scratch treats. ined a nice place to go and sit to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and a good pastry.

Magnuson started the Rockwood bakery when she took the building over nine years ago.

Monica Hosek, baker at the Rockwood Bakery, says working

Passion drives local chef Kathleen Gold

The Communicator

The young and the restless cooks up Spokane.

“I just have a passion for food,“ said Jeremiah Timmons, 30-year-old Executive Chef for the Ambrosia Bistro and Wine Bar as well as Café NEO. Timmons has worked for both restaurants simultaneously for two years.

“People being happy is what it’s all about,” Timmons said.

Timmons favorite methods to use when cooking are barbecue and smoking foods.

“I have a small charcoal barbeque grill, a large one, a big gas grill and a hug smoker,” Timmons said. “I barbeque in the dead of winter, you can have hamburgers and steaks in the winter,” Timmons said.

Chris Deitz, a line cook, has worked under Timmons for over a year.

“He is very supportive and giving,” Deitz said.

Kathleen Lehman is the Assistant Manager for the Ambrosia Bistro and Wine

Bar. She said she loves working with Timmons.

“He is a blast,” said Lehman, Lehman said Timmons creates foods that are very flavorful, and he is creative with the ideas for his dishes.

“He is a very talented man,” Lehman said.

Timmons attributes his cooking inspiration to his friends and family. They told him he should pursue a career in cooking.

“I spent a weekend in Portland Ore., checked out the Western Culinary Institute and signed up,” Timmons said. “You use it (cooking knowledge) and you don’t lose it,” Timmons said.

Timmons said to learn the names of different pots as one way to prepare to work in the kitchen.

“You need to get your foot in the door,” Timmons said.

Timmons said everyone should pursue their dreams.

“Find your passion and make that your challenge,” Timmons said.

at the bakery is very relaxing, and at the same time challenging.

“I love it!” Hosek said.

She says she likes the fact that the customers are willing to try different things when the bakery puts new items on the menu.

“They keep coming back!”

Hosek said.

Hosek says that the bakery strives to make quality products. She says she loves to see people come in and enjoy the bakery and what it has to offer.

“Come on in!” Crosby said.

Kathleen Gold/Communicator

Chef Jeremiah Timmons loves to barbeque, even in winter, to get a smokey flavor.

page 7

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Flavors

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The Communicator With wood-paneled walls, a fireplace in the corner and one or two friendly dogs to greet new arrivals, one of Spokane’s best-kept secrets, The Swamp Tavern, has a very cozy feel to it.   Hidden away across the railroad tracks from Browne’s Addition at 1904 W 5th Ave, The Swamp’s offerings are not that of a normal watering hole.

The Swamp boasts nine micro-brews on tap, plus one tap of Pabst Blue Ribbon for those less adventurous drinkers. In addition, The Swamp offers over 70 domestic beers in bottles or cans and a diverse wine list. What separates The Swamp from many other Spokane-area bars is the fact that it is a true tavern; they don’t serve hard alcohol. Instead of whiskey or tequila shots The Swamp uniquely offers shots of Porto, a sweet Portuguese wine, served in proper Port glasses.   “(The Swamp) is a lot like ‘Cheers’ (in that) random strangers will start up a conversation with you,� said Rhonda Brown, 26, a regular at The Swamp.

Brown also said one of the features that draws her to The Swamp is the covered patio in the back, with a fire pit that is

always lit.  “I believe that the diverse crowd makes The Swamp a comfortable place for anyone who happens to walk in the door,� said Janice Kaler, part-owner and server at The Swamp. “We get (Department of Corrections) workers, teachers, doctors, lawyers and blue collar workers here in the afternoons.�

Kaler has operated the tavern in partnership with her husband Claude and their son Joe since buying it in June of 2007 . The Swamp is also no stranger to the Spokane night-life scene, as the crowd seems to shift to college-age drinkers around 9 or 10 p.m. The Swamp currently hosts live music acts on Friday nights, and is starting an open blues jam on Sunday nights.

SFCC student Hallie Carnutt, 22, says she really enjoys the atmosphere at The Swamp.  “(The Swamp) is great (because) it’s mellow and relaxed,� Carnutt said. “They’ve got good music and good beer.�

The Swamp is a great for the selfproclaimed “Hop-Headsâ€? or anyone just looking for a low-key place to enjoy a few beers. Definitely worth checking out and don’t be surprised at the urge to go back often.   Â

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Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

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Focus

Edited By: samantha blehm

Stroking the J-Spot * Jay Friedman, a self-proclaimed

Samantha Blehm

The Communicator

“sexpert,” earns his living going city to city making appearances on college campuses nationwide, speaking on the controversial subject of sex, pleasure and relationships.

Friedman is not afraid of the potential reactions his opinions on sex may bring to the audience. He holds back nothing in his repertoire.

A professionally certified sex educator, Friedman has been leaving his mark on the college lecture circuit for the past 15 years.

“I am a man with a mission,” Friedman said. “To inform, provoke and challenge, making sure everyone has fun along the way.”

After the unexpected pregnancy of his girlfriend while in college, Friedman has made it a point to open the eyes of students to the truths of sex.

“Sex is

ory of their name the next morning.

Step two is to accept responsibility by using such products as birth control and condoms. Finally, one must assure mutual pleasure.

“We too often jump into intercourse without the proper knowledge of what we are doing,” Friedman said. “And

good,” said Friedman.

“It’s what we learn about sex which is not good.”

Friedman showed his political standpoint on the sex education provided to our youth, and how it is the sexual ignorance found in our nation that “is robbing the people of the pleasure they deserve,” according to Friedman’s website, jaytalk.com.

The controversial subject of politics is not the only subject Friedman elaborated on during his lecture, enlightening students on a “whole new ball game,” with all he expressed during his presentation.

While delivering his presentation, “The Jspot: A Sex Educator Tells All,” Friedman explained the three conditions to meet beMadison McCord/The Communicator fore having sex, how Friedman’s provocative sex lecture proved hilarious and informative to to make condoms feel oh-so-much better, the the attending students. mysteriously missing that is when our ignonext tip. sexual organ, why sex is With doing your daily better in Scandinavia and rance takes over.”

Next on Friedman’s kegels, one can signifi“Kegels with your Baagenda was the topic of cantly increase pleasure gels.” protection. Addressing as well as endurance.

“We have a natural such issues as the comKegels are an exercise desire to learn mon excuse among males done to help strengthen about sex,” of condoms taking away muscles for pregnancy, Friedman from yet help in sexual pleasaid. “We pleasure. sure and are not only for are all women. sexual be- To combat this prob Kegels build strength ings from lem, Friedman offered to males the tip of adding in the Pubococcygeus birth to (water-based) lubricant muscles of the pelvic death.” floor, also known as PC Fried- to both the outside and inside of the condom. muscles. man “Shouldn’t we want To do a proper Kegel, elabosomething that prolongs pretend to pause urine rated flow, hold for three secon the the experience?” Friedman said. onds and release. The three Friedman continued exercise should be done condi10 times per day, doing tions by giving those attending explain- the lecture helpful tips on three sets each time. how to increase sexual Friedman, bringing “the endurance and pleasure. ing back the happiest, three A’s.”

With the catch phrase, healthiest and most Affirm the other person, by “Kegels with your bagels,” pleasurable days of our ensuring the mem- Friedman introduced his lives.

page 10

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Focus

The Communicator

Cutting costs on tuition

Illistration by Andrew Watson

Not clearing a hard drive can lead to the loss of personally information and identity theft.

Forgetting your CPU past Kathleen Gold

The Communicator Formatting and installing a security system prevents hackers and stops viruses from invading your computer.

Steven Wheeler, work study student at SFCC in the Information Services and Computer Science Department (ISCS), said one of the misconceptions people have when formatting their hard drive is that they only have to format once to eliminate their information in the computer hard drive. Wheeler says you have to format twice to eliminate the data.

Wheeler says there are websites a person can go to with systematic instructions to complete the process. However, Wheeler wants people to make sure they back-up their data before they proceed to format the hard drive.

“Once data is gone, it’s gone for ever,” said Wheeler.

Finnegan says while in the CCleaner website you can go to uninstall, this pulls up every program on your computer, and you just choose what programs you want to delete.

Wheeler says there is an operating disk to format the hard drive with a layout for the formatting. At the end of the process, it will tell people that their disk is formatted and partitioned.

After that, the operating system can be installed, which will es-

sentially wipe the hard drive.

Finnegan said another website to go to is ultimatebootdisk.com, which can help fix hard drive issues with a computer.

“You have to thoroughly understand what you’re doing,” Finnegan said. “If you do not you can wipe out critical files. Then you have to look for someone like me to retrieve your information.”

According to Finnegan, each system comes with recovery, and after formatting the hard drive you can re-format the hard drive and set it back to factorystandard format.

Finnegan recommends the CCleaner for deleting important documents such as bank statements, which if not cleared properly are detectable to hackers and the DOD5220.22-m (3passes) for formatting, which the Department of Defense uses to delete sensitive material.

Finnegan said it is important to know what viruses are on the Internet. He recommends securitywizardry.com. This website shows the latest virus threats, and searches out hackers on the Internet as well as showing the latest tools used to fight hackers.

“When anything seems out of the ordinary to home users,” Finnegan said, “they could see brief descriptions of things to look for on the website when a virus is trying to infiltrate their programs.”

If a student does not feel

comfortable with using these websites, Wheeler says they can bring their computer to the computer lab in building 18, and lab technicians will use a Solo hardware device that will physically wipe the drive.

Some tips to help students are: • Support.microsoft.com/ kb/313348 - Follow the step-by-step instructions.

• \Webopedia.com - Type ‘formatting’ in the search box, and click ‘How to Completely Erase a Hard Disk Drive.’

• Chris Finnegan, Computer Forensics and Network Security student at SFCC, suggests the following websites/ disks for assistance in formatting a hard drive: • Geeks.com’s Ultimate Boot Disk - Has utilities to format a hard drive.

• CCleaner.com - Program will delete all files, history URLs, eliminate applications not wanted, and help with registry without doing damage to the system.

Brianne Davis/The Communicator

The average student can qualify for a CCS scholarship, the foundation offers a variety of options giving every student equal opprotunity.

Joseph Engle

The Communicator Just because you scored a 1.4 in your chemistry class does not mean you are out of the running for scholarships on campus. The truth is that there are scholarships out there for the less-thanperfect student.

A good place to start looking is the CCS Foundation at www. ccs.spokane.edu/Foundation/ Scholarships.aspx. The CSS foundation offers well over 150 different scholarships, most of which are awarded to multiple students. The best part is that the majority of these scholarships are based on financial need and career interests as opposed to grade point average. Most scholarships require only a 2.5 GPA. “The average student is eligible for scholarships,” said

Patci Ryan, Foundation Grants Coordinator for the CCS foundation, in an email.

There are so many criteria for CCS scholarships that practically everyone qualifies for something.

Additionally, students need only apply once for all CCS Foundation scholarships. Afterward, applicants are automatically eligible for every scholarship in which they meet the criteria. For example, a student in the Horticulture program would be eligible for other science-based scholarships.

In order to qualify, CCS Foundation scholarship applications must be in to the CCS office by 5:00 p.m. on March 16.

For most CCS scholarships, the foundation requires students to be taking at least ten credits per semester.

While grade point average may not be everything, perseverance is certainly key.

“It does take work,” said Vicki Schmitt, SFCC Career and Student Employment advisor.

“You’ve just got to spend an hour a day keeping track of your scholarships.”

According to Schmitt, activities like community service and leadership experience can go a long way to improving a student’s chances of getting a scholarship.

Also important are two or more letters of recommendation, and making sure to turn in financial aid forms on time.

The next step on the scholarship hunt should be SFCC’s scholarship data base system at www.spokanefalls.edu. Schmitt

See Tuition on page 11.

page 11

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Focus

Tutition:

The Communicator

Scholarships available Continued from page 10.

has been instrumental in setting up this resource for students.

“I started doing scholarship searches for my own sons,” Schmitt said.

In the process, she started putting resources together, and the project has evolved since then.

Students interested in scholarships can find a wealth of information, and a lot of help besides, in Room 226 in Building 17.

There is a lot of information on scholarships to be found online. Another excellent website for scholarship searching is www.fastweb.com. Websites should offer scholarships free of charge. Most websites that attempt to charge users merely to look at what they offer should be viewed with a liberal amount of suspicion.

As with anything, effort is perhaps the most important factor determining who will get a scholarship and who will not.

There are scholarships that can be found based on age, gender, ethnicity, career paths, interests, marital status, left or right-handedness, sexual preference and many, many other criteria that have nothing to do with having a perfect grade point average.

Brianne Davis/The Communicator

The Latin Association is planning many upcoming events, such as, a bake sale for St. Patrick’s Day and other festivites for Cinco de Mayo.

Campus clubs goals consistent during change Steffani Farrell The Communicator

Latino Unidos De Aztlan, the Latin Club at SFCC, plans to spread Latin American heritage throughout campus.

The Latin Association called LUA aims to raise cultural awareness. They have existed under several names over the past 10 years, including the MESA and the Hispanic Association, according, to their advisor Pam Austin.

Recently, the Latin Association has held small fundraisers such as their Valentine’s Day rose sale. They sold cookies and three-dozen roses with

GIVE AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE. IN THIS CASE UP TO $16,000.

one rose going with each sale of a cookie. Their plans for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day are similar.

“But what we really look forward to doing is the Cinco de Mayo Celebration,” said Mary Torrez, the Vice President of the club.

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday celebrating a particular event in which the Mexicans held off the French army. Cino de Mayo s celebrated annually by the Latin Association, who invite students to come and listen to an influential Hispanic speaker, eat good Mexican food and listen to a mariachi band.

“We don’t just celebrate

Fulfill someone’s lifelong dream by donating your eggs. Fulfill yours with the $16,000 we’ll pay you. For more information, call

(Cinco de Mayo),” said Ricky Gonzalez, LUA President. “In October last year, we celebrated Dia de los Muertos during Halloween, we had catered food and everything.”

The club has hand many other events. They have had a salsa dancer come in and teach a few basic moves.

LUA sells quesadillas on Mondays, a food that most Latin cultures have for lunch, according to Gonzalez.

The Latin Association has a small membership now but hope to expand their numbers.

“This year the club hopes to become more active than in past years,” said Austin in an

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e-mail interview. “(We want to) have more membership, develop a link for the campus to see Latino/a students involved, have a great Cinco de Mayo celebration, and have a social and mentoring place for other Latino/a students to come.”

An interest in Latin American culture, according to Austin, is the only requirement to join the group. She encourages anyone interested to talk to either her or Jane Wong in the multicultural services room. “(The Latin Association) is a hardworking, genuinely nice group of students,” said Austin. “They are also fun to be around.”

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Page 12 • Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Local art is a mystery to community

seen but

uNknown

Andrew Watson The Communicator

Art in Spokane is an integral part of the community and its culture.

Although pieces can be sporadically found throughout the city, the Runners in Riverfront Park and the Ronald McDonald Bears stationed around downtown remain some of the more prominent pieces.

Jerry McKellar, a local structural artist, said he is fond of the art in Spokane.

One of McKellar’s favorites is the statue of the Runners in Riverfront Park, by David Govedare.

“I like it because of all the interaction it gets with the pedestrians and how well it fits with the area because of the Bloomsday event.” said McKellar.

McKellar also sculpted the 40 bears scattered throughout Spokane.

“A few years ago I was approached by the Spokane chapter of the Ronald McDonald House to sculpt a bear for a fund raiser,” McKellar said.

“Since then, over 40 bears have been made and decorated by local artists.”

After being displayed throughout the city, mainly in the downtown area, the bears were auctioned with the proceeds benefiting the Ronald McDon-

Culture

Edited By: Jolene Denny

Andrew Watson/The Communicator

Of many popular local pieces of art, The Runners is one of the most notable contributions to dowtown Spokane art exhibits. ald House.

One of Spokane’s main artistic and cultural attractions is the Museum of Arts and Culture, more commonly known as the MAC. The goal of the MAC is to pique interest in arts and culture, by collecting pieces, holding exhibits, and sponsoring

programs that augment the experience, according to the MAC website, northwestmuseum.org.

Lorna Walsh, the Chief Development Officer at the MAC believes that the MAC is a huge part of Spokane’s artistic establishment. “(The MAC’s impact is) pretty extensive,” Walsh said. “Not

only do we have the exhibits, but we do the Art at Work program, as well as other programs focusing on local and not-solocal artists.”

The Art at Work program focuses on promoting and exhibiting the artwork of local artists, and also rents the art to businesses.

However, the arts are somewhat suffering in times of late, says McKellar.

“Making a decent living by selling original art, especially sculpture, in the Spokane area is extremely difficult,” McKellar said. “The conditions of the present economy make this even more challenging.

Core book author gives advice to aspiring writers

choices that didn’t keep me in that “We told him that we chose his book mind set. as the college core book and when we “The only decision you make to be a asked him to come, he loved the idea,” writer is when you pick up a pen.”

Keast said.

The audience paid close attention Walter spoke of growing up in as Walter read three Washington, his desire sections from his book, to write at an early age, all of them dealing with and his first attempts at he only de- Vince and his mindsets fiction where he tried to distance himself from his cision you make of the cities he was in.

Once Walter was roots. to be a writer finished reading, he Walter told the is when you answered questions from audience he learned the pick up a pen” the audience, about varipossibilities of writing ous topics, including the about the different things - Jess Walter status of the movie adapSpokane has to offer in tion for Citizen Vince. terms of inspiration.

Walter said he wrote “There are many great, the script in collaboration with Richundiscovered treasures in the commuard Russo. Actor Billy Bob Thornton is nity,” Walter said. directing the film, according to Walter.

Walter explained the idea for “Citizen “I had to rework the script a little for Vince” came from his days as a reporter Billy Bob,” Walter said. for The Spokesman-Review, where he SFCC student Justine Lange said how learned that many members of the Witexcited she was to hear Walter. ness Protection Program are relocated “It was refreshing to hear what he to Spokane from other cities. He also has to say about his own work,” Lange spent time in New York City for a month, said. immersing himself in the city’s culture to research the character’s hometown.

Other books by Jess Walter: After Walter shared the process of writing the book, he gave aspiring authors a The Zero bit of advice about how he overcame his Land of the Blind own insecurities.

Over Tumbled Graves “During college I started to tell myself

that maybe writing wasn’t in the works www.jesswalter.com for me,” Walter said. “However, I made

“T

Brianne Davis/The Communicator

Jess Walter immerses himself in different cultures to research his characters.

Allen Stover

The Communicator Jess Walter was invited to SFCC by the Core Book Chair Committee to speak and read from his book “Citizen Vince,” which won the 2006 Edgar Award.

The book was selected by the committee as this year’s core book due to the book’s setting taking place in Spokane.

It is also in the process of becoming a

motion picture.

SFCC’s library website, library.spokanefalls.edu describes “Citizen Vince” as the tale of New York native Vince Camden, who is relocated to Spokane via the Witness Protection Program.

While Camden is settling into his new life and getting the opportunity to vote for the first time, an acquaintance from his criminal past follows him to Spokane.

page 13

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Culture

The Communicator

Worldview brought home SFCC holds annual intercultural week

Hilary Vandenbark/The Communicator

Opening night’s success was evident with the crowds and casts standing ovation.

New-age twist on tale of betrayal, love and revenge

Hilary Vandenbark The Communicator

Students still have a chance to put some Shakespeare in their lives.

SFCC’s Spartan Theatre is bringing Othello to the student body March 12 to March 14 at 7:30 p.m. and March 15 at 2 p.m. The first round of performances were March 5 to March 8. Over 100 people attended opening night.

Othello portrays the story of betrayal, love and revenge, according to Director William Marlowe. The audience follows Iago, Othello’s best friend, in his diabolical chess game to ruin Othello and any other pawns he can to do so.

Opening night on March 5 unveiled the elaborate set that would rotate on multiple levels as the scene would change throughout the performance.

The set was well-constructed and the switches were fairly seamless.

Aaron Lee Lewis took on a new role as the lead actor. His previous position was Stage Manager. His deep voice and its steady cadence and his talent made him a great fit for his role as Othello.

Andrew Parish, who played Oedipus in last winter’s production of Oedipus the King, portrayed Othello’s best friend and secret enemy, Iago.

Rushele Provoncha played the part of Desdemona, Othello’s wife. Othello is her debut at SFCC. She did very well and her musical talent was evident in the only solo towards the end of the play.

Music was an interesting part of the play. The use of techno music during a party scene, though a skeptical choice at first, turned out to be well-played.

Opening Night was a big success. The audience laughed several times and gave a standing ovation at the end.

ciation event was the Colombian Culture presentation. Lillibeydy Manrique, a Spanish teaching assistant, led the attendees through pictures and music.

Ric Gendron, a Native American artist showcased some of his paintings, most of Dana Bartlow which were inspired by friends and family The Communicator and titled by using songs from different bands and phrases that he liked a lot.

The sounds of German music kicked off The Pioneer German Sisters presentaIntercultural Week on Monday, Feb. tion, done by German instructor Inga The SUB Lounge was filled all week with Jablonsky, talked about women pioneers different cultural displays, presentations, and their interaction with the Native and exhibits for all students to see and Americans when crossing the Pacific participate in.

Northwest.

The Japanese students from the MuThe Spokane Chinese Associatin put on kogawa Ft. Wright Institute demonstrated the Chinese Dance. They had a martial Japanese culture through games, music artist demonstrate his moves to music, and origami. There was also a Travel to and then students were encouraged to India presentation, where students were join him and try to mimic his movements. exposed to traditional Indian music.

Jessie Hulsizer, 24, was chosen as the The African American Association, best copier by one of the dancers. He was taught students about African culture on given a Zhonguo Jie (China Knots) charm Wednesday. “(They made) learning about the culture as his prize. The popular dance the dance team did was the Ribbon Dance. interesting,” said Steven Bruce, 22, workThe Intercultural Week came to a close ing towards his AA. “They made it fun.” on Friday with Origins of Sake where Following the African American Assostudents learned the ways of brewing and making sake.

Rhythm of the Night was a sneak-peek for the Multicultural Talent show coming spring quarter with entrants from different walks of life. It was put into action by Becky Bell, who won first prize in the African American talent show for her belly dancing.

The week officially ended after the “Around the World at SFCC” event. Put on by lots of collaborating clubs on campus, the event was full of informational booths representDana Bartlow/The Communicator ing different countries, with Music, food and dancing entertained students and staff. food from all the cultures.

SFCC Activities Announcement Board From March 12 to March 28

Sponsored by The SFCC Bookstore for use by SFCC student services & SFCC clubs.

Page 14 • Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

Sidelines

Edited By: Allen stover

MEN’S BASKETBALL GETS BOUNCED AT championships MELISSA ROSS ALLEN STOVER .

THE COMMUNICATOR

rick harrison photography The CCS men’s basketball team was eliminated in the second round of the consolation tournament in the NWAACC Men’s Basketball playoffs in Kennewick this pa-.

-st weekend. Under the guidance of first-year head coach Clint Hull and six assistant coaches, the Sasquatch entered the double elimination playoffs with an Eastern Region title and a season record

of 19-6 in their grasp, according to the CCS website, athletics.spokane.edu.

In the first round, the Lower Columbia Basin Red Devils defeated the Sasquatch 69-43. The Red Devils led both the first

Sophomore Kevin Cameron , pictured above was one of the captains for the Sasquatch for the 2008-2009 basketball season.

Total Points 504 479 642 570 600

2009 NWAACC BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM FIRST TEAM Austin Dunn, Clackamas Coby Gibler, Highline Nico Sandoval, Yakima Valley Ryan Sweet Whatcom Marice Toliver, Lower Columbia SECOND TEAM J.C. Cook, Clackamas Duntae Jones, Olympic Earl Jones, Mt Hood Alex King, Lower Columbia Rahiti Marere, Bellevue MOST VALUABLE: Chehalis Tapscott, Clackamas MOST INSPIRATIONAL: Jeray Key, Lower Columbia Community College Saints with a score of 88-80. Despite their efforts of trying to come back from a 23-point deficit and leading the second half in scoring, CCS only managed to bring the gap to eight points. The Saints would go on to lose to Whatcom C.C. Orcas in the fifth place match 82-76. CCS would end their overall season with a record of 20-8.

Mt. Hood's Jeremy Jones and Jamar Johnson led the game in scoring with 22 and 21 respectively. Gianukakis once again led CCS in scoring with 18 points.

Although they were not successful in their quest for the championship, CCS was honored with two players being named All-Stars for the Eastern Region.

Sophomore Damal Neil was named for the First Team while Humphrey was named for the Second Team.

For more information log on to nwaacc.org

Top 10 Scorers in Men’s NWAACC championships Name

1 - Grounds, Chris (EVCC) 2 - Schultens, Nick (GHC) 3 - Tapscott, Chehales (ClCC) 4 - Ransome, Jamar (BMCC) 5 - Cook, JC (ClCC)

and second half in points, with three of their players scoring in the double digits while CCS sophomore Derek Gianukakis led Sasquatch in scoring with 14.

Lower Columbia would advance to the intournament while CCS would play in the consolation bracket. Hull explained that while the team played a strong defense, they struggled with shooting the ball and fell behind early in the game.

"We did a good job of getting stops, but could not capitalize on the other end."

Putting the previous day's loss behind them, CCS went on to defeat the Skagit Valley College Cardinals 67-64 on the first round of the consolation bracket.

Hull explained that despite facing elimination, the team showed heart and met the prevailed.

"Nobody wants to be playing in the loser out game, but I was very proud of our guys for the way they responded."

While the first half and much of the second half had CCS and Skagit Valley neck-in-neck in terms of points, a foul allowed freshman Zach Humphrey to step up to the foul line and make two shots, giving CCS a three-point lead. Skagit Valley freshman Andrew Beatty attempted to force the game into overtime with a three-point shot, but only hit the rim.

Humphrey led CCS, scoring 24 points, while Chas Kok scored 20 points for the Cardinals.

In the second round of the consolation bracket, CCS lost to the Mt. Hood

Avg/Game 21.00 20.83 20.71 20.36 19.35

Highest Total 43 42 33 33 35

Name Total Points 6 - Sweet, Ryan (WCC) 510 7 - Ranstrom, Jeff (BBCC) 484 8 - Spicer, Kellen (UCC) 442 9 - Dancer, Kevin (TCC) 473 10 - King, Justin (SOCC) 490

Avg/Game 18.89 18.62 18.42 18.19 18.15

Highest Total 34 35 26 31 31

page 15

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

sidelines

Nature’s free fitness club

Jean Loeffler

The Communicator Hiking is a sport that is not only an inexpensive form of exercise but offers the chance for one to experience the wonders that nature has to offer.

For one to start hiking, whether they are experienced or just beginning, all they need is a good pair of boots and socks that are not cotton, according to Jon Schwartz, manager of Mountain Gear.

While clothing is important fact with hiking, Schwartz said there are 10 tools

every person should bring with them when they venture on the hiking trails.

These items include a map and compass, flashlight, extra food and clothing, sunglasses, first-aid kit, pocket knife, fire-starting materials and water.

Having the knowledge of basic outdoor survival skills is important, such as how to administer first-aid to an injured partner, child, or oneself, knowing how to read a map and not get lost, and knowing how to use a compass.

A mistake Schwartz said a lot of beginning hikers make is to bring their

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canine companion. While hiking alone is ill-advised, dogs should stay at home, not only because they are not allowed on the trails, but also because of other predators.

“Bears and cougars don’t like humans but dogs act like bait,” Schwartz said.

Although the Boy Scouts' motto is to always be prepared, over-packing does more harm than good. It makes the backpack heavier, causing the hiker to tire sooner. This is important whether the hike is a one-day trip or a one-week trip.

Beginners shouldn't start on a ninehour hike, but start easy and gradually work to a more challenging hike, according to Edward Woessner, a former assistant Boy Scout leader.

"The heavier the pack, the harder it is to enjoy the hike," Woessner said.

There are classes available to help increase hiking knowledge. Classes are offered at Mountain Gear on cooking with a single burner or Dutch Oven, and other techniques. The Boy Scout Headquarters, located on Washington and Boone, also has classes, as does Spokane Parks and Recreation.

There are also clubs that beginning hikers can join and learn. Some clubs in Spokane include the Backpacking Club, Spokane Mountaineers and Hobnailers.

Other programs can be found at surrounding schools that include outdoor education programs, such as Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University.

With the snow still on the ground, chances are some trails are covered, but 10/30/2008 the best Spokane trails forFalls this season are uncov-

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Hilary Vandenbark/The Communicator

Liam O’Sullivan, pictured above, recently broke the record for successfully climbing Mt. Rainer.

ered. Schwartz recommends Riverside State Park and the Sentinel Trail, which offer the best incline for hikers that cannot get to the trails.

A local favorite is "100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest" by Rich Landers, the Outdoor Editor for The Spokesman-Review. The book provides the trail length and incline, important facts and pictures.

OutThereMonthly.com is a website that posts local outdoor events for many kinds of outdoor activities.

For more information on hiking trails in Spokane, log on to trails.com.

Community College

1

Consuming becomes competitive

VERI030019

celebrities. A look at the IFOCE rankings listed on their website, ifoce.com, The Communicator shows many familiar names such as Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi, and Tim Coming a long way from an elementary “Eater X” Janus at or near the top of the school kid’s dream during lunchtime, eating world. competitive eating gives a new definition Just like any other sport, training is to the term “food fight”. important in competitive eating. While Competitive eating’s history starts in the IFOCE strongly discourages at-home such places as county fairs, where the training of any kind, common traning most common food of choice was pies. techniques include the technique of The most famous competitive eating drinking lots and lots of water to stretch challenge, the Nathans Fourth of July the stomach, allowing it to hold more hot-dog-eating contest at Coney Island, food.

NY, began in 1916 and is still going To ensure saftey in all IFOCE officiallystrong, even gaining airplay on ESPN. sanctioned events, the IFOCE has also The rules of competitive eating are adopted a rule stating that all of their basic- whoever consumes the most food events take place in a controlled enviin a short amount of time, typically 15 ronment with the proper safety measures minutes or less, wins. Foods used in in place. The IFOCE has also included competitions are almost always a single type of food, primarily focused in the fast such precautions as not allowing any participants under the age of 18 comfood or dessert categories. Disqualificapete. Other safety concerns associated tions are rare, but can happen one of with competitive eating include, but are two ways- if a competitor hides food, or not limited to, the development of obeif a competitor becomes sick due to the sity and diabetes as well as the choking amount of food consumed, nicknamed hazard that comes with the sport. The a “Reversal of Fortune” by the InternaIFOCE also makes itself clear on their tional Federation of Competitive Eating, website that they will not promote any or IFOCE. events they consider unsafe.

As obscure as these events may seem, While there are no upcoming officialthe competitors, especially in the hot dog ly-sanctioned events in Spokane, or even contests, can quickly become pseudothe state of Washington, nearby competitions include a wing-eating competition at Valhalla Bar and Grill in Pullman and an apple-pieeating contest sponsored by Costco at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee in May. For more information about events throughout the state, or in a different state, visit the IFOCE website or eatfeats.com for contest Photo Illustration by Brianne Davis listings.

In addition to competitive eating, Black Wittig enjoys folf.

Brianne Davis

[ Already my accomplishments have been rewarded – I continue to learn and grow! ]

The Communicator

page 16

Mar. 12 - Mar. 25, 2009

sidelines

The Communicator

Runner goes the distance on and off turf

Max Reeder Male Track & Field Distance Runner Sophomore

Melissa Ross

The Communicator There is more to runner Max Reeder than what fans may see when he is on the track. When he laces his cleats and walks to the starting line, he goes into a mindset that many are not used to seeing.

Reeder, a sophomore distance runner for the CCS men’s track and cross country teams, has been running for the last five years. For Reeder running began as something that was stemming from a sibling rivalry with his brother Jason, whom he strived to defeat. According to the Washington Runners track and cross country website, wa.milesplit.us, Reeder has competed in state for both track and field and cross country as well as the

USATF National Junior Olympic XC Championships during his high school career. According to the CCS athletics website, the Lakeside High School graduate placed 12th in the 2008 NWAACC Cross Country championships. In 2007, he placed seventh and earned himself an All-American Award.

Reeder also uses running as a way of relieving stress, and a chance to think about the events of the day with a clear head.

“When I run, it’s like being in my own little world,” Reeder said. “I just love the feeling after a long run. Just the high of the endorphins is a great feeling.”

Reeder likes to have fun

Reeder’s Achievements 800 meters: 2:00 1600 meters: 4:29 8000 meters: 26:06 Achievements: 2007 NWAACC Cross Country Championships, seventh place, 2008 NWAACC Cross Country Championships, twelfth place All-American Award when he runs, being easy going enough to enjoy it but also serious enough to accomplish what he needs to in his work outs.

When he is not on the cross country trail or the track turf, he is very outgoing the loud one

Madison McCord/ The Communicator

Allen Stover/The Communicator

Reeder placed seventh in the 1500 meter run at the Sasquatch mini-meet Mar. 7.

amongst his friends.

Reeder’s teammates describe him as diligent and slick when he is running. However when he is just hanging out with his friends in his casual clothes, he is very laid back.

There are a few things that Reeder does to prepare himself the day of a race. One consistent method he uses is a strict eating regiment on the days of competition.

“I can’t eat any dairy that day of a race. I usually just have a power bar, and two hours prior to the competition I can’t eat or drink anything.” Reeder said As the time for competition nears, Reeder will hit the trials for a 10 minute run before hand.

Once the race is over, Reeder does his usual cool down jog, and then hits the sack to get some rest.

The Associated Collegiate Press recently held their National College Journalism Convention in San Diego from Feb. 25 to Feb. 28.

Five editors, a senior reporter and the adviser of The Communicator attended the conference and competition. The conference provided many useful seminars to the group. The adviser, Jason Nix, Editor-in-Chief Madison McCord, Managing Editor Hilary Vandenbark and Perspectives Editor Judy Johnson presented to several colleges and universities on the implementation of Google Applications into the newsroom environment.

McCord and Nix also paneled a discussion on managing a twoyear college newspaper which dealt with issues such as staffing inconsistencies, conflict resolution and the role of the adviser in the newsroom.

The Communicator had the privilege to compete with other two-year newspapers such as Southwestern College’s The Sun and North Idaho College’s The Sentinel which took first and second place, respectively.

Photos contributed by Rick Harrison

Of the sixteen teams that competed in this year’s NWAACC championship playoffs the Lower Columbia Red Devils, pictured above playing in the first round against CCS Sasquatch, would make it to the finals of the playoffs, losing to the Clackamas Cougars 69-71.