Tccd The Collegian January 25, 2023

TCC’s food vendor changes unexpectedly

Food options across district decrease after email announcement

NINA BANKS & HOPE SMITH campus editors

A week before classes started, TCC announced in an email students no longer had a food service option.

This decision came five months after Genuine Foods became the new provider for TCC. The email only said this change occurred due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

The change caused students and staff to say they feel worried about whether food options would be available to them.

Each campus has experienced the removal of Genuine Foods, with only TR Campus containing Riverfront Cafe and Trinity Brews. For NW student Yulianna Paredes, she fears for the students who rely on the food service.

“Definitely for other students it can be an issue going to class before snacking,” Paredes said. “I imagine it’s not very good of them. For them it would have been their only source of food. They could have given some sort of timeline rather than pulling out last minute.”

Food, page 3

South maintenance works over holiday due to flooding

ALEX HOBEN editor-in-chief alexandra.hoben@my.tccd.edu

TCC maintenance worked throughout Christmas on South Campus due to the freeze causing water damage to two of its buildings.

During the holidays there were instances of damage done to facilities across the district. The

worst of the damage occurred in the SACD and SAUT buildings.

According to district facilities manager Thomas Roese, a domestic water line burst in the second floor of SAUT and proceeded to flood a tool room, the connecting hallway as well as the men’s bathroom.

“The ceilings all fell down and made a mess,” Roese said.

The other main cause of water

damage was an HVAC coil in the SACD building failing and causing flooding damage. Roese explained that the cause of the damage was indeed the freeze and the way it affected the campus’ facility systems.

“Over the holiday break when the cold front came in with the excessive winds and cold temperatures, we lost power here on the See Flood, page 3

Instructors worry due to changing office space

OLLA MOKHTAR campus editor olla.mokhtar@my.tccd.edu

SE Campus will be adopting a new office neighborhood model for faculty and staff.

According to the SE vice president of academic affairs Zena Jackson, this will be a “neighborhood” where staff and faculty will be placed together with focus rooms and huddle spaces available should they wish to meet with someone privately.

She said the decision was made years ago.

“There was always an intent to move TCC into the 21st century in how offices function, and having what are called ‘neighborhoods’ for our staffing allows us to be more efficient in how we work together as a team.”

Jackson explained how this will enable more collaboration between staff and faculty.

“Offices, companies, systems and educational institutions function as a team, this allows us to be more collaborative in our spaces where we are together as one as opposed to isolated in offices, a silo if

you will,” she said.

According to her, this will also help students.

“This will give greater access for students to our faculty and our staff,” she said. “Instead of students having to chase down offices, you actually get to see us at work. Schedule appointments with us and have opportunities to meet with us in focus rooms.”

An anonymously sourced professor at SE disagrees with having to be put into collaborative space and describes how it disrupts their work.

“My concern stems from my experience as an adjunct professor,” they said. “I found it difficult to work because of other people’s work. It will be very difficult to concentrate, read, grade and write lectures because of the business going on around.”

They explained their position with administration about the neighborhood arrangements.

“Our campus president, vice president and deans are for the most part supportive about our feelings but this was not our decision.”

The professor believed that faculty was afraid to speak out because

As the spring semester began to arrive after TCC’s winter break, each campus made sure both new and returning students were met with open arms in activities meant to encourage involvement and acceptance.

Beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 17, student activities and other organizations focused on hosting an event or helpful station for the week.

For NE Campus, the staff had been preparing some time prior to the kick-off date. Student activities coordinator Courtney Matthews explained that it was good to start off on “Toro Tuesday” for the students beginning the semester.

“It was wonderful to have Toro there, a lot of students came over and took pictures with him and they were like, ‘I do this every semester!’ to kick off, you know, ‘my academic year’ or semester at the time,” Matthews said. “So that was really amazing

to just have students have their own tradition.”

South Campus held many activities and prize winning opportunities, as well as a BBQ with police where students were provided food and given the opportunity to interact with the campus police.

SO student activities member Edith Cruz said she enjoyed the “Wild Wednesday” event, which was Western themed and involved a mechanical bull ride, a Western costume contest, and giveaways.

See Welcome, page 3

Joel Solis/The Collegian

NE student Aly Jones walks by the locked up cafeteria that used to have the Genuine Food food services at NE in the NSTU building.

Ariel Desantiago/The Collegian

Joel Solis/The Collegian

Construction workers on site building the foundation and initial walls for the new library extension on SE Campus.

Elva LeBlanc made TCC’s sixth chancellor

Students want clearer communication with the new administration

ALEX HOBEN editor-in-chief alexandra.hoben@my.tccd.edu

TCC students are speculating what future semesters are going to look like under the new chancellor.

With Elva LeBlanc’s hiring as the sixth chancellor of TCC on Dec. 8 last year, spring 2023 marks her first semester in the permanent position. According to TCC trustee Bill Greenhill, LeBlanc has been great to work with, and the transition was seamless.

“As far as I’m concerned she was our chancellor, and she’s got us on a roll, she really does,” Greenhill said. “She’s doing a marvelous job.”

With this solidifying in leadership, some students are hoping to see more interaction between the student body and those in administrative positions. SE senate chair Jamea Johnson said that while she knows of the administration change, she isn’t aware of too much that has happened beyond that.

“I was not aware of Dr. LeBlanc or any of the things she had done prior to her appointment as chancellor,” she said. “Now that she has become chancellor I think that the board of trustees is still not properly communicating with students about the things that they do for the college, being that I haven’t heard much about them besides LeBlanc’s election.”

Johnson said she’d like to see LeBlanc take a more personal response to the student

body to ensure a fairer representation of students in administration.

“It seems we only see her at district or administrator-dominant events, and not actually interacting with the people she should be representing,” she said.

can’t blame them,” Lohse said. “We’re here to learn, and a lot of people don’t have the time in their daily lives to keep up to date with it.”

TR SGA president Milo Koenig said he knew of LeBlanc before her appointment due to her role as NW Campus president and working under the previous chancellor. He said that LeBlanc is focused on three aspects of student academic life here at TCC: recruitment, retention and completion.

“TCCD’s enrollment is down by several thousand students compared to pre-COVID enrollment numbers, so her concern is understandable,” Koenig said. “My primary concerns at the moment are increasing campus accessibility and supporting students through community outreach and club activities. I believe that the measures we’re taking to help administrators connect with students will benefit both parties, and I will continue to advocate for student needs.”

Koenig encouraged students to reach out and talk to their SGA representatives if they have questions or concerns.

“That’s what we’re here for,” he said.

LeBlanc said that the administration is dedicating a lot of time to the persistence model in supporting students through their journey at TCC.

“We’ll continue being focused on students, so that’ll be our compass for all of the decisions that we make,” LeBlanc said.

Website refresh presented at board meeting

ALEX HOBEN editor-in-chief alexandra.hoben@my.tccd.edu

TCC unveils new website changes directed at increasing enrollment and refreshing the look of the pages.

During the January TCC board of trustees meeting Robert Heyser, the director of web communications, held a presentation showing the new designs and changes that would be happening to the website.

“We started this project in 2021, and we had a focus really on doing this on our high traffic pages,” he said. “We’ve got analytics, we’ve got user testing that tell us what’s our highest traffic, what pages we need to focus on and which pages need a little more work.”

During the presentation, Heyser said that the department focused on three main objectives: engaging visual designs, creating more school pride and spirit and modernizing the web code.

According to Heyser, the new web page changes would start publishing on the 20, and should be stabilized by the next afternoon. When asked about how it will affect current students, Heyser said that there wouldn’t be much of a change.

“Most people that are going to be impacted by this will be prospective students more than current students,” Heyser said. “The biggest change for current students will be the student’s portal page. That design will change but the content will be the same.”

In other board news, every item on the consent agenda was passed. One item, an interlocal agreement with Fort Worth regarding an economic development for Panther Island, was taken out of the agenda to be voted on separately because trustee vice president Barr was unable to vote on the item due to a conflict of interest.

Barr submitted a form of conflict of interest due to his past position as chairman of the real estate council of Fort Worth. While

he addressed the board he emphasized how important he believes the agreement to be.

Also during the meeting three more members of the TCC student body past and present were highlighted. The people featured this time were NE graduate Kamilah LaFavor, SE graduate Leslie Ramirez, SO faculty member Christopher Tovar and NW SGA president Sammy Jepsen.

These student highlights are a recent addition to the board meetings. According to TCC coordinator of board records management Frida Castañeda-Lomónaco, this has been a great way for students and administration to connect.

“This item on the agenda requires a fairly small investment considering the value of the land the college owns, and I think it will lead to maximizing the value of what TCC owns,” Barr said.

“We’ve started even highlighting student stories at our board meetings, and I hadn’t seen anything like that done previously,” Castañeda-Lomónaco said. “I mean that in itself has been really fantastic for us. Being in the administrative office we’re so distanced from students, and so it’s easy sometimes to forget that that’s what we’re here for.”

Contagious bird flu strains could be problematic for humans

XAVIER BOATNER campus editor

Avian flu has the potential to grow into a health concern for not just birds but humans as well.

The new year has arrived and with it came a new pandemic – for birds. Avian influenza is here and it’s the reason eggs are so expensive now. Industry professionals and students discuss the potential impact it may have on human health.

The avian influenza virus, as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a naturally occurring disease that spreads among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department employee and doctor of veterinary medicine Sara Wyckoff said that there are many ways to identify whether or not an animal has fallen ill to avian flu.

“Current clinical signs you might see in an infected animal include neurological signs such as ataxia, incoordination, muscle tremors or seizure-like activity, heads twisted to the side or moving back and forth or animals that are normally nocturnal coming out during the day time,” said Wyckoff.

Though, this raises the question of whether or not the avian flu virus can be transmitted across species.

Some believe it is able to spread based on information from past viruses like NE student David Boza.

“I think it can spread to a person. It’s

happened before,” he said. “The COVID-19 and the Black Death outbreaks originated from an animal, so I think the avian flu virus infecting humans is likely.”

Some believe people shouldn’t worry about the possibility of a cross-species infection like NE student Machia.

“I think it’s unlikely,” he said. “A bird’s immune system and lungs are completely different from a human’s immune system and lungs.”

As recently as Jan. 18, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that a 9-year-old girl was hospitalized after coming into contact with infected backyard poultry. That’d make this particular strain “zoonotic.”

“One thing to consider with avian influenza is its ability to become ‘zoonotic,’” Wyckoff said. “When a virus spills over to humans from animals now making the human infected and sick, the virus is now considered zoonotic.”

Other documented cases of people contracting avian flu usually involve people coming in contact with infected birds or infected bodily fluids similar to how the flu spreads from bird to bird.

Unlike bird-to-bird transmissions though, there hasn’t been an instance of human-to-human transmission, according to the Texas Health and Services Department. But because new strains are likely to crop up, that’s subject to change.

The potential dangers the avian influenza virus poses to human health range from minor throat irritation to muscle aches, to conjunctivitis or to life-threatening illnesses like pneumonia.

Thankfully, there are ways for people to avoid contact with and help combat the raging avian flu.

Author, ornithologist and former California State University professor Roger Lederer said that it’s a great idea to take initiative to learn more about what’s going on.

He listed various local groups that people can join that specialize in bird

“The best thing to do is get active,” Lederer said. “There are lots more [conservation groups] in the area. They’ve got lots of projects to work on that can help birds.”

studies and observation such as Audubon, Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, American Birding Association, World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife and the Humane Society.

SE student Sev Lohse said students don’t really have the time to care about upper administration politics since they have their education to worry about.

“There’s an air of apathy about largerscale campus politics from students, but you

Robert Heyser Director

Joel Solis/The Collegian

Joel Solis/The Collegian

Elva LeBlanc, the new chancellor of TCC, smiles during the Jan. board meeting. She became the sixth chancellor on Dec. 8 last year.

Prior to the Jan. 12 email, students received no warning or prior notice that the food vendor may no longer be available. NW student Eric Arredondo said he wished there was more communication on that aspect for students.

“There should have been better communication with both sides. They didn’t just let one party down, they let students down,”Arredondo said.

For an anonymous staff member, it became a concern of accessibility for students and lack of communication.

“The announcement was very quick,” They said. “There’s always the two weeks of inservice before semester, there’s a week of inservice for staff, and then a week for staff and faculty when the semester starts.”

Besides the lack of communication, staff members also lost time to get their own meals.

“We’re used to knowing when the cafe is open, just because there’s no students so usually they have reduced hours, they’ll have some hours for faculty and staff to get something to eat,” they said.

NW student and student assistant Arya Carafna believes the communication between administration and students was not satisfactory.

“The cafeteria was very useful and I do wish there was a bit more of a further notice on it because I only found out because I work here,” Carafna said. “There’s a lot of students who I believe did not get an email because I didn’t get an email about it. It was one of my coworkers who got an email about it because they work full time and then they told me about it.”

Water

of possible repercussions and that this is something that will happen regardless of their opposition and the data and statistics the faculty presented to administration.

Further, they believe that the administration is not yet ready to adapt to the plan.

“They haven’t told us where we’re going to go after they remodel the original building or how students will access us when you need a key card to get into these neighborhoods.”

History professor Bradley Borougerdi expresses his dislike of the plan as well.

“It’s the worst thing that I am ever going to experience in the workforce in my entire career in academia,” Borougerdi said. “I think it’s horrible. I wish that district administrators had the courage to get rid of it.”

He believes that the reason many professors chose not to speak even under the guise of anonymity is because of fear.

“Well, this is America, you’re not going to bite the hand that feeds you,” he said. “And people are worried about security which is understandable. Maybe they’re just scared of the repercussions.”

Borougerdi is concerned about how he is going to adapt, even though he describes himself as someone who can adapt easily.

Welcome

“I’m the type of person to adapt easily, but I’m a historian, I need to learn, study and educate myself. In my field, it takes 20-30 years just to be good at it. Where will I put my books and do my research when I just lost 40-50 hours a week that I usually spend in an office?” he said.

He also shares the sentiment that district administration has not given faculty the chance to share their opinions on the matter.

“Our opinions were not really asked for and no evidence has been given to convince me that this is a good idea other than the reason to collaborate when I collaborate with a scientist in a different building with no problem,” he said.

He feels as though this will take away from him as well as his students and has known people that left TCC because of this change.

“It’s unfortunate and sad when I feel these things are being taken away when they very much help me do my job,” Borougerdi said. “And I understand that you can’t tailor the needs to one person. But, I can’t see any possible scenario where this will make my job more productive, meaningful and better for my students.”

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“The country music and all the food, snacks and goodies given away passed the vibe check,” Cruz said.

For NW Campus, they had multiple help stations set up to direct students called “Ask Me Tables” where Navigators could assist finding classes, provide snacks, and hand out pins and maps at each table.

NW student activities coordinator Rachael McCloskey explained that a favorite of hers from the week’s events was the boba tea provided to students.

“Students are always so excited to see them on campus,” McCloskey said. “It was also fun to see students’ excitement about a free T-shirt on TCC Tuesday.”

SE Student Activities coordinator Veronica Guzman said that the Welcome Week had gone very well.

“The Game-A-Thon was definitely the

highlight,” Guzman said.

The event, which is only held in the spring semester, included arcade games, pingpong, air hockey and pool.

Guzman said that this event had the most student turn out with and sum of over 350 students who signed in. Guzman also said there were “definitely new faces at the event,” and was able to recognize them from the spring new student orientation.

TR student development services director Carter Bedford explained that welcoming students was a pleasure. He said that TR had made sure that there were activities like breakfasts, snacks and open-house events throughout the week for students both returning and new to choose from.

“Hopefully students were able to take in some aspect of this week at TR and know that they are welcomed here,” Bedford said.

South Campus a few times,” he said. “During this event as of the power being lost we had some domestic water lines exposed to the cold and froze and caused some flooding.”

Roese and general maintenance supervisor Manny Rodriguez were emailed by staff that were on-site that there were problems on Christmas Eve. By Christmas Day, they were both called to the campus.

“I kind of knew that we had some issues, but I didn’t get on-site until Christmas Day to look at what happened,” Rodriguez said.

When he was notified on Christmas Day, his initial thoughts were that this could never happen on a normal Wednesday when the staff is there.

“It always happens at the wrong time, the worst possible timing,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said he always keeps in the back of his mind the possibility of things that can happen, and his family knows that. He, along with other maintenance staff, worked throughout the holidays to ensure that the campus was ready for the new semester.

“My goal was trying to see if we can get this done before students and the faculty

However, to some students the food was not adequate and did not enjoy the environment, citing inconsistent portion sizes and unfavorable prices. Instead, they solicited the bookstore, vending machines or outside sources for food options.

TCC anticipates a new vendor by the end of spring break, and until then all campuses, except TR, which includes two food options, can access food options via vending machines, campus smart markets and bookstores.

get back, that way we are not holding them back,” Rodriguez said.

Roese said that while there was some work done to the campus to ensure safety, everything has been restored back to being student ready.

“All in all with the work of the TCC employees quick action to get the water shut off and the work of the Remediation Company everything is back in order,” Roese said.

According to an informational memo presented to the board of trustees during the January meeting, there was damage on the Erma Johnson-Hadley Center for Logistics and Transportation, South and NE Campus. The estimated costs for complete repairs across the district is up to $250,000. TCC chancellor Elva LeBlanc commended the staff that stayed to work through the holidays.

“There were about 185 facilities staff members working during the holidays so that everything would be perfect and ready for the faculty and the students when everyone came back from the holidays,” LeBlanc said.

Photo courtesy of Manny Rodriguez

During the Dec. freeze water froze in the pipes at South, causing them to burst. The resulting flooding lead to water damage in SACD and SAUT buildings.

Heartwarming story after all these years

HOPE

SMITH managing editor hope.smith393@my.tccd.edu

Having read the book “A Man Called Ove” many years ago in middle school, it felt only right to watch the movie adaptation “A Man Called Otto” many years later. The hope was that like all those years ago, the story would still have as much of an impact in film as it did written down.

So, in a weird way, it was good to see people cry by the end of the movie in the theater. It did its job.

As an adaptation, it did as much as it could with the storyline. If you’ve read the book, there were big details left out but what is a movie adaptation if not leaving portions of the book’s storyline out.

Or, as it happens, changing the name of the main character. Understandable, however, as the original story and name is Swedish and the movie adaptation takes place in America, thus Otto.

Capturing not only the main character but the other’s as well was so important. Otto was a man against time and change. He functioned in a world of yes and no, and he was particular and precise. Simple and sensible.

The family that moved across from him was all sorts of change and movement, two young girls and a baby on the way.

Having said that, the movie captured them very well. Otto started off with a sharp, mean exterior, but the movie progresses and the viewer gets to watch the small kindnesses he gives to people in his own way.

No matter how gruff he wanted to be, he was ready to help his neighbors and give a home to someone who was turned away from their own because of their identity.

In fact, a point that was so crucial to

keep that the film did in fact stay true, was Otto’s heart condition that stopped him from enlisting from the military: his heart was too big.

It was so important because it was a physical representation of no matter how he felt life had hardened him, inside he had a loving soul that wanted to help people.

The family of four, almost five, was played out perfectly in that they kept Marisol’s character as her persistent, loving and intelligent self. She was such a pivotal

‘Emily in Paris’: a disaster in paradise

character that if she had been done any other way it would have dulled the whole movie.

It was hard not to love her and her family in the film, with all of their quirks and window opening struggles, and Otto’s inability to turn them down is undeniably admirable.

If someone had never read the book, the movie would still have been able to represent the story. It was strong and emotional all throughout. The world changing around Otto and Otto’s initial resistance to acceptance not

only pulls the audience in, but it makes the audience relate and feel for Otto.

Otto’s relationship with his wife as they grew together is something so sad and sweet. The movie touched on it, and there is a quote from the book that just nearly represents them perfectly: “He was a man of black and white. And she was color. All the color he had.”

Down

heat with the perpetuation of French stereotypes. However, the show turns a blind eye to this criticism and has almost every character participate in an affair.

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Mon Dieu! Netflix’s favorite problematic expat has returned for a third season. Lily Collins reprised her role as Emily Cooper in the hit television series, “Emily in Paris.”

The show starts with a bang — quite literally, with Emily cutting herself a pair of existential crisis bangs. Despite the new hair, Emily’s fashion remains outlandish and wildly expensive for the salary of a marketing executive.

With outfits surpassing thousands of dollars per episode, the designer label does not excuse the often extreme cases of pattern mixing. Unlike past seasons, there were quite a few pieces this season that were très chic.

In the first episode, we see Emily in French class. The teacher asks Emily to read a quote by Sartre, which translates to not choosing is still a choice — highlighting Emily’s poor choices thus far and foreshadowing the eventual future.

Season two left off with Emily at crossroads in both her romantic and professional life. Emily’s tension with her downstairs neighbor Gabriel, lovingly referred to as the “hot chef,” persists even with Emily’s relationship with British banker Alfie and Gabriel dating one of her best friends, Camille.

In past seasons, the show has caught

Approximately four individuals cheated on their significant other — including Emily’s boss Sylvie cheating on her boyfriend Eric with her husband oddly enough. Perhaps most shocking was Camille cheating on Gabriel with her client at her art gallery, despite going behind Emily’s back last season in order to win him back.

In her professional life, Emily is stuck between joining Sylvie, or staying with her boss Madeleine from her job in Chicago. Emily, however, does not make a choice and ends up working at both firms.

But no matter how big or small the mistake, Emily always finds a way to rectify the issue. Regardless of this breach of trust, Emily is eventually welcomed back by Sylvie and Madeleine returns to Chicago — with Emily facing zero repercussions of her double agent activity. In the eyes of Dieu (God), Emily Cooper is incapable of sin.

Let’s be honest — no one tunes in for the well-developed storylines. Viewers are all so deeply engrossed in Emily’s shaky morals, and will continue to watch for many seasons to come.

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Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Scene from “A Man Called Otto” where Otto falls alseep babysitting Abby and Luna, the children of Marisol and Tommy as they are on a date. The movie is based on a Swedish novel called “A Man Called Ove.”

Emily and her boyfriend Alfie gaze at the French countryside while on a work trip on a chateau. The season premiered Dec. 21 on Netflix.

‘Automated’ McDonald’s raises questions

The push for automation in the food service industry raises serious concerns about the future of the job market.

Recently, McDonald’s opened an “automated” location in DFW, where customers can order ahead and receive their food by conveyor belt at the site. This conveyor belt shows a separation from interaction in the transaction, and instead relying entirely on machines to bring the patron the human-prepared food.

In reality, ordering through the drive-thru of this location is no different than any other one. A human takes the order, processes the card and gives the food. But the stir that was caused by this location’s marketing raises a major question about the importance of a human in the service industry, rather than a machine.

Automation in the workplace can be an incredibly useful tool, but advertising it as an alternative to human interaction is going too far. This trivializes the jobs that are available, as well as the need in the workforce for these integral positions.

These were the people who were able to get the community through the pandemic by providing food and services, our essential workers, and yet now they’re advertising that these positions aren’t needed, only the bare minimum.

Jobs in the service industry are imperative to middle and low-

income persons as well as students due to their flexibility of scheduling and accessibility to people new to the job market. If these jobs are able to be handled with machines, rather than being a position that needs to be

filled, there would be a definite shift in the job industry.

One of the jokes made online regarding this new McDonald’s is how it was opened due to efforts to raise the minimum wage. While the

Community college parties don’t

lights, loud, unintelligible music and the iconic red cup, comparable to the movies. The very sight gave me the worst case of FOMO I have ever experienced.

The banquets and dances I attended in high school played clean versions of songs, and the punch bowls were definitely not spiked. The closest thing to drugs were the freshmen getting a sugar high off the sour straws the PTA sold.

cynicism is funny, this actually has very troubling implications. Instead of giving those who work tirelessly in the service industry higher pay, they’re just replaced with machines. If other businesses see this

kind of model that McDonald’s advertising is pushing and start to roll out their own automated centers, there’s the potential for many people to lose their jobs. You don’t need to pay a robot an hourly wage, just maintenance every couple of months.

This model would be incredibly cost-effective to corporations and the higher-ups, but it spells certain doom for all of those that rely on them as their only source of income.

The world isn’t being taken over by machines anytime soon, but it’s important that this push for automation and streamlining production be pointed out.

It’s fine to have machines there to help with tasks that are potentially life-threatening or dangerous. It’s fine to have a machine help with little things to make going about the day easier, that’s what they’re for.

What’s not fine is pushing for an automated norm that tries to advertise itself as the future, when in reality it’s taking away real jobs that are imperative for middle to lowerincome families in this economic downturn. It’s not fine that people are making light of the push for a better minimum wage that would actually be able to pay bills.. Machines were created for the purpose of making people’s lives easier so they could give a more human aspect to the work they are doing, but now it seems we’ve evolved to the point of machines just taking the work.

I suffer from a chronic condition. It can be debilitating, and there is no cure. It’s a disease myself and so many suffer from. The name is abbreviated to FOMO, but stands for the fear of missing out.

Although community college provides cheap education and free resources, it often lacks in its social scene. If a party scene does exist, it’s almost impossible to find. For prospective students, often the party scene is a major pull factor to the college or university.

Since many community college students go through financial problems, they often work one or several jobs aside from attending school or are parents. This coupled with the little to no access to the social scene, partying is often an experience missed out on.

Television and movies seldom show students studying, and rather focus on frat parties and the social scenes. This portrayal has associated university with ragers, keg stands and promiscuous activity. Though exaggerated, those scenes are somewhat based in truth and events such as those exist.

I recall the first few months of college watching my former classmates’ stories attending massive parties with strobe

However, I recently experienced my first semblance of a college party. And while my friends discussed their experiences at university, I had an epiphany — it doesn’t even sound that much fun.

Perhaps I had gotten so wrapped up in what I believed the college experience to be that I didn’t even think to consider if that would even be enjoyable for myself.

I assumed as soon as I enrolled into college that some dormant gene would activate that would turn me into a “Euphoria” character. But I don’t feel the urge to seek parties and am actually content in my current routine with school and work. Despite my assumption, being in college doesn’t mean you have to go to parties. The societal or self-imposed expectations placed upon a certain stage of life are not guidelines on how to live.

Once I transfer to a university, I anticipate that I will go to parties and enjoy the experience. But for now, there is no rush to feel like I must go and participate in that facet of college life. Until then, you can find me frustrated while decorating an apartment in the Sims because I can’t find a cohesive color palette.

The latest “Scooby-Doo” adaptation has raised some interesting questions regarding the treatment of legacy franchises and whether or not this treatment is sustainable.

For context, Warner Bros. decided to kick off the new year right with the release of “Velma.” A strange and seemingly unnecessary “Scooby-Doo” reboot, reimagining, whatever the executives call it, with 100% less dog and 110% more dark skin! To say this has stirred controversy would be an understatement.

It’s important to note right off the bat that the controversy doesn’t quite stem from the changes in race per se. Fans are showing more concern and frustration over how the studio is devaluing their favorite characters by changing nearly everything about them.

“Velma” is the most recent culprit that springs to mind, but this phenomenon has been happening for quite some time now.

To start, let’s talk about race-bending. The race-bending of characters or race-bent versions of characters is commonplace in media nowadays. From comic writer Brian Michael Bendis’ and actor Samuel L. Jackson’s interpretation of the traditional white Nick Fury, to Christopher Miller’s Miles Morales, an Afro-Hispanic SpiderMan.

The purpose of these race swaps is for the sake of representation, and are meant to give people of different backgrounds characters to connect with. It helps that these characters still retain the pathos and charm of their original counterparts. “Velma” does not do this.

“Velma” takes the classic characters and changes their personalities, their voices, their looks and their dynamics. Not only does this raise the question of why this reboot is tied to “Scooby-Doo,” but it also makes people confused as to who this reboot is for.

A thought experiment called “Ship of Theseus” begs the question of whether or not something can remain the same even if all of its core elements are replaced. Let’s look at Miles Morales again. Miles Morales was created to be parallel to the traditionally white Peter Parker.

Despite being a different character under the Spider-Man mask, Miles still retains the essence and qualities of the character and is all better for it. Velma meanwhile twerks in the mirror, and “Scooby-Doo” himself doesn’t exist in the show.

This sort of thing sets a bad precedent for the future of reboots, reimaginings, retoolings, remakes and other words that start with the letters “R” and “E” because I want to avoid saying other words that start with “re.”

Studios need to understand that you can revitalize (forget I said anything) franchises without changing everything about them. These characters became icons for a reason, and changing everything about them is missing the point.

Legacy franchises achieved their status by captivating audiences with their unique essence. Franchises should evolve, but with respect to the source material. They deserve better. Audiences deserve better.

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exist and that’s OK

The tragic treatment of beloved legacy characters

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Caring for mental health comes before unrealistic expectations

KEYLA HOLMES campus editor keyla.holmes@my.tccd.edu

With students returning back to campus, New Year’s resolutions can be a way to get one’s spark back and help students grow individually. While some don’t have any resolutions, they’d still like to see those that do considering their health and treating themselves with compassion.

“The concept of new years is a great way to start new and get rid of old habits to start the year nice and fresh,” SE Campus student Karimme Chairez said. “The only problem is people always feel the need to change everytime new years comes around - almost pressured.”

While some students may feel the need to change or tweak their routines, others are okay with allowing the new year to naturally mold them into a better version of themselves.

“I don’t really have a resolution for this year, but I hope to flourish and learn as an individual to become a better person,” SE student Bailey Hays said.

New Year’s resolutions can cause those to not only think about their personal goals for the current year, but think about the things they’d like to accomplish later in life.

“One of them that I wrote down is to attempt to save enough to retire early,” South Campus library specialist Dedra Thomas said. “One of the things I’ve noticed as a millennial is that there aren’t a lot of safeguards for us.”

She also said that one of her resolutions not only has to do with the betterment of herself, but of her environment.

“There are just many places that I will not be shopping,” Thomas said. “I will be going on strike from anything that does not bless me in the future, and is not blessing the planet that we currently live on right now.”

While Chairez doesn’t have personal resolutions, she’d love to see staff practice more compassion when advising students.

“When it comes to TCC I’d love to see them have their own new year changes, such as more attentive and understanding counselors during the semester class sign ups,” she said. “It’s understandable stress is high due to a high amount of students signing up for classes, yet it’s also nice to be able to have a

counselor who you can trust and ask questions about classes you’re unsure about.”

When it comes to TCC related goals, Thomas said she’d like to connect with the student population that is homeless.

“A lot of the students are homeless and we have senior citizens who come here and are homeless,” she said. “I plan on finding out a little more about them individually, and finding out their story if they don’t mind telling it – seeing how I can be of service or how I can be of help.”

Although planning on improving yourself or a specific area of your life can be beneficial, it can also be harmful.

“New Year’s resolutions can be harmful if they’re practiced the wrong way,” Hays said.

Accepting the idea of failure can be difficult. Especially when so much value is being placed on accomplishing it.

“When you’re frightened to fail, that actually may be something you’re supposed to be doing,” Thomas said.“Most of the time doing something that’s going to push you through a door is going to make you run away, and if you run away, how will you ever know.”

Succeeding with new year’s resolutions can also be frustrating. Goals can take time.

“Don’t be discouraged if you feel you aren’t making progress in your goal,” Chairez said.“It’s good to take breaks and look back at where you first started.”

For those trying to make positive changes in their life, big or small, it can be important to know, or simply be reminded of some last remarks made by those interviewed.

“Even having the will to start a resolution is incredible and I believe that you can go far with whatever you are planning to accomplish,” Hays said.

Chairez said what her advice was for students who may struggle with trusting the process.

“For someone who would like to accomplish a New Year’s resolution, my advice would be to remember some changes don’t happen right away, some take time and patience,”

Thomas said what she wanted students to remember about their ambitions.

“Your goals are your goals and no one can take them from you,” she said. “Take your time on your dreams.”

by Markus Meneses and Hannah Seese/

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