The Telescope 66.16

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PHOTO STUDENTS JOURNEY TO DEATH VALLEY • pg. 8-9

the telescope Palomar College’s Independent Newspaper

WHO ARE THEY? ASG ELECTIONS

Vol. 66, No. 16 • Monday, May 6, 2013 1140 W. Mission Rd, San Marcos, Calif.

FACULTY CENSURE

APRIL TESTERMAN THE TELESCOPE

Last month, Palomar College’s student government approved a motion to censure a Palomar faculty member due to a series of alleged harassments.

According to the Associated Student Government (ASG), these events were caused by Palomar Faculty member Daniel Finkenthal. ASG Sen. Dane Thorp collected a series of emails, meeting minutes, Facebook posts and other documents, dating as far back as 2009 and as recent as 2012, as grounds for the ASG to censure him.

The dictionary definition of censure is “an official reprimand.”

“The ASG has seen how one individual was able to adversely affect the student body so drastically, and it came to a point where we needed to take a stand... so that we can say, ‘This individual does not represent the student body,’ said ASG President Johnathan Farmer. “So, based upon the censure and the findings we gave, the findings were such that it was very clear that this individual number one: is not a student, and number two: does not represent the student body as a whole, and number three: the governing body (ASG), denoted by the District to represent the students, the opinion of the ASG is that he is toxic to the student body and he impedes on progress.”

The ASG said it wasn’t any one action, but rather a “history of consistent behavior.”

TURN TO CENSURE, PAGE 13

REZA NEMOVI 38 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

JENNIFER GONZALEZ 18 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

GENESIS GILROY 21 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR VICE PRES.

KATELYN MORIKAWA 18 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR SENATOR

CARLOS ARAUJO 20 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR SENATOR

The Associated Student Government elections will be open to students for voting starting May 6 and will continue through May 9. Students will be able to vote online at www.palomar.edu with a student ID number.

This semester there are two candidates for ASG president, one for vice president and two for senators. During last year’s voting for ASG president and vice president, candidates Johnathan Farmer and Angel Jimenez ran unopposed.

Voter turnout has also been very low in the past. Ususally less than one percent of Palomar’s 30,000 students vote in the elections.

Below are Q&As with each of the candidates in an effort to make students more aware of who wants to represent them. students as well as the faculty staff.

REZA NEMOVI AGE 38 RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

Why are you running for president?

After spending a term as ASG senator, I feel that I can be of great service to my fellow student as president.

Since the position is going to be available in the fall, I’m ready to challenge myself as a leader and be held accountable by both my fellow

WHAT’S INSIDE

ASG moves to censure a faculty member

How will you make a difference for the students? What is the most important thing on campus that needs to be improved?

The most important thing that needs to be improved on campus is student success.

Whether it is lack of parking, not being able to register in required courses, or cost of education, I will look for

PG. 5

IMAGES IN MEDIA

OPINION / We see many graphic images in the media, especially in traumatic events.

How much is too much, and how do these images negatively affect the viewer?

ways to reduce the constant issues students are faced with.

After all, we are all here because of education.

The students deserve the best and most effective education in order to succeed and the faculty staff is being paid to do so.

Addressing those areas effecting student success is what I’m interested in resolving.

PG. 11

PALOMAR AUTHOR LIFE / Palomar student Robert Duncan recently self-published an eBook called “I am. Are you?” It’s a novel that’s a collection of poems and literature.

TURN TO ELECTIONS, PAGE 3

PG. 16

BASEBALL CHAMPS SPORTS / Palomar’s baseball team had a 13-game winning streak this season on its way to winning the conference championship.

2 • NEWS Program

Summer Program to help students

If you had a lower score on your math or ESL assesment than expected, want to skip a math or ESL class, or barely passed (or failed) your spring math class, the Summer Bridge program may be for you.

Students who participate in this three or four-week free (except for $14 health fee) Summer Bridge program may be re-assessed and placed in a higher level math or ESL class.

“We are expecting 150-200 students to participate this summer.

Many new students will participate, but we strongly encourage veterans, continuing and returning students to apply.” said Cindy Anfinson, First Year Experience Coordinator in charge of the Summer Bridge program.

ESL JAM and MATH JAM I are offered June 17- July 11. MATH JAM II is offered July 15 – August 1.

All sessions are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

ESL JAM is only open to students eligible for ESL 55 or ESL 101 (cannot have failed either before).

MATH I and II are open to students eligible for Math 15 through 135.

For more information and an application go to www.palomar. edu/summerbridge or call (760) 744-1150 ext.3931.

transportation

NC transit now testing brakes

Drivers of Palomar, get ready to start stopping for the Sprinter once again.

While it may appear to some students the Sprinter is running on its normal schedule again, the North County Transit District (NCDT) is currently conducting full-speed tests on all Sprinter trains.

Just as students were getting used to taking replacement Sprinter buses, NCTD ordered new brake parts from Europe.

On April 12, the NCTD announced it would run two trains twice a day between Escondido and Oceanside to ensure the track was still operating correctly.

The testing is a long and tedious process, and the first one was successful, according to safety chief Tom Tulley.

All signals and crossings along the Sprinter track have been cleared as fully-operational.

The district has ordered two sets for each train, and will test both to determine which work better.

According to the Union Tribune, “a spokeswoman said the agency went ahead with a full order from Kovis, a Slovenia-based rail parts maker, because its rotors ‘performed so well’ in testing.”

The agency has not provided cost figures for the replacement parts.

COLLEEN PETERS AND JORDAN GREENE

Monday, May 6, 2013 Farmers Market

Customers look at fresh vegetables at the San Marcos Farmers Market on April 28. • Carolyne Corelis/Telescope

San Marcos Farmers Market promotes local produce, small businesses and healthy habits Carolyne Corelis the telescope

Over the last three years, local farmers, entrepreneurs and restaurants have pitched their stands on the tarmac of California State University San Marcos’ (CSUSM) parking lot, drawing residents in with fresh fruit and vegetables, selling their wares on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings.

The market includes produce stands, food trucks, handicraft boutiques and regional honey sellers. All of the produce sold is locally sourced and certified organic or pesticide/chemical-free.

It has expanded to include local food trucks like Curbside Bites, Devilicious, Chop Sooey, New York on the Rye, Dog Shack and Mangia Mangia.

According to CSUSM’s Public Information Officer, Margaret Lutz-Chantug, the farmers market is not associated with CSUSM, the San Diego Farm Bureau rents the parking lot and is responsible for the market.

San Diego Farm Bureau representative Lindsay Hogg said the food trucks that participate vary from week to week and have included trucks that have

Cacti at the San Marcos Farmers Market on April 28. • Carolyne Corelis/Telescope

even been featured on the Food Network.

Lindsay Hogg said San Marcos residents have a unique opportunity to participate in the local agricultural community by supporting the San Marcos Farmer’s Market. Farmers from Fallbrook, San Marcos and Valley Center offer either certified organic or pesticide and chemical-free produce.

Hogg emphasized the difference between certified organic

and pesticide/chemical-free is a simply a matter of dollars and cents. Many smaller family farms grow their crops sustainably with no pesticides or chemicals, but lack the resources to go through the elaborate and costly FDA organic certification.

Another draw of the San Marcos Farmer’s Market is JR Organics’ stand.

Pauline Rodriguez of JR Organics said her family has owned

their farm for the last four generations. The family helps run the produce stand together and the farm is completely self-sufficient.

The Valley Center certified organic farm provides a produce stand, but also a drop off and pick up location for its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box.

Participants have the option of switching out produce they would not use for produce that they would prefer, an option that is not available to participants who have their box home delivered, Hogg said.

According to localharvest.org, CSA boxes are boxes that consumers can subscribe to purchase directly from the farmer. These boxes usually consist of freshly picked seasonal vegetables, but can also include seasonal fruits and other items. The boxes are replenished each week creating a direct relationship between the farmer and the consumer.

The San Marcos Farmer’s market is open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday at 333 S.Twin Oaks Valley Rd., San Marcos, Calif. ccorelis@the-telescope.com

FINANCIAL AID

FAFSA workshop to be held on San Marcos campus Although it may be the end of the spring semester and we’re heading into summer, it’s never too early to get a head start on filling out the dreaded financial aid paperwork for next semester.

The Financial Aid Department will be presenting the final Financial Aid and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) workshop for this semester at 5 p.m. on May 6.

The workshop’s topics will in-

clude defining financial aid, the kinds of financial aid, the qualifications, how financial aid works and guidance on how to fill out a free application for federal aid.

The workshop is open to all those who are interested, not just Palomar College students, and no registration for the event is required.

Although materials are not needed for the workshop, Mary SanAgustin, the director of the

Financial Aid Department, recommended students bring a copy of their tax returns.

“We tell students when they come to bring their tax returns, so that when she’s (the instructor) talking about doing it, then they know what she is talking about, a visual,” SanAgustin said.

When asked about why the Financial Aid Department offers these workshops throughout the year and why it is very

important to attend, SanAgustin simply said, “The more they’re informed, the less errors that they’ll have.”

More information about this workshop and general questions about financial aid can be found by visiting their website at http:// www2.palomar.edu/pages/ fa/?ql=1 or by calling 760-7441150 ext. 3110.

CLIFF IRELAND

NEWS • 3

the telescope elections Continued from Page 1 NEMOVI CONT.

How will you improve student involvement?

Although the previous ASG members as a whole have been very active with coordinating special events and having involvement with different committees and clubs, I feel that each ASG member needs to improve their interaction with other Palomar College students.

We have to be the eyes and ears for other students and that means we individually need to communicate with the maximum number of student in order to better serve them.

As president, I will lead by example in doing so.

What are your goals if you win the position?

When I win the position of ASG president, I will be more active by communicating with students and working directly with the faculty to ensure the voice of the students is heard and effective action is taken to help where students need help most.

How do you plan to get out there and advertise what the ASG does for students?

Ultimately, it comes down to the level of interaction between students and school faculty. As president, I will utilize all the resources available to me so I can work closely with the school staff in addressing the issues and concerns the students have.

Tell us a little more about yourself.

I’m 38 years of age. My major is aerospace engineering. This is my 5th term at Palomar College and I see myself graduating from M.I.T. in five years. I’m establishing a company I plan to direct in the area of space exploration.

I hurt myself skydiving when I turned 27 years old. I was deemed to a wheelchair and was not given any hopes of ever walking again.

After 4 years of reflecting on my past, I realized that education was the only thing that would give me the knowledge and strength I was lacking in order to better my future.

Instead of letting others tell me I was not going to walk, I decided to challenge myself and do whatever it took to walk again.

From reading books and going to seminars, I realized that it was knowledge where the secret of success was hidden. I’m able to walk now, attend school while holding a 3.625 GPA, as well as becoming an outstanding inventor/engineer.

I can be of great service to others because my life experience is one which has had many challenges and worth sharing. I want to help others achieve their goals as I have thus far.

JENNIFER GONZALEZ 18 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT Why are you running for the position you are running for?

I am running for President because I feel I can adequately represent the student body and I have a lot of

plans to improve the relationship between students and the ASG. I want to represent the students in the shared governance committees and make sure that students are always put first because without us there would not be a Palomar College.

How will you make a difference for the students? What is the most important thing in campus that needs to be improved?

I want to make a difference for students by focusing a lot of my energy next year in outreached aimed towards students. Possibly creating a new committee within the ASG dedicated to this, after all the ASG is “Students Serving Students”. I want to give the students more resources or even just make the resources already available more accessible and well-known throughout the campus.

A lot of students find themselves lost when they start college and they need guidance, who better to do that for them than somebody in the same position as them? In my case I focus a lot of time advocating for student’s rights and learning about what resources both on campus and off whether it be financial aid, tutoring and dealing with personal distress, can truly benefit them. There is too much to cover in this section but any students are welcomed to come to the forum to ask me questions regarding the specifics.

How will you improve student involvement?

A lot of students are unaware of the existence of the ASG regardless of the effort we put out with banners, events and social media (mainly because these circulate within the same circle of Palomar students).

I believe that to make the ASG and all student activities visible we must take in upon ourselves to spread the word. You can ask anyone on campus whom I associate with if they have heard about the various student activities around campus and the answer will be yes! I believe the first step is for people to be aware then I believe they must see how the ASG benefits them and from that point on involvement will increase which is one of the reasons I am so enthusiastic about outreach.

What are your goals if you win the position?

More visibility, involvement, outreach and focusing our efforts solely on the students.

How do you plan to get out there and advertise what the ASG does for students?

As stated earlier I will take some of this responsibility within my own hands but also improving and expanding on our Public Relations committee will be essential. This semester there has been talk about us creating a news letter to let students know about our events, and services and I hope to implement that next year.

Tell us a little more about yourself.

I am 18 years old and this is my first year attending Palomar College. I am currently majoring in Biology,

whether that will be my major once I transfer is dubious but I do know it will be under the umbrella of Biology. In five years I see myself in Medical school working towards my goal of becoming an oncologist.

GENESIS GILROY 21 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR VICE PRES. Why are you running for vice president?

I want to improve the college experience for students at Palomar. We’ve got a great school here, but I think with a few tweaks, we can make it even better.

How will you make a difference for the students? What is the most important thing in campus that needs to be improved?

Per Unit prices are on the rise. I would like to reverse this trend by putting money back into the pockets of students. I will petition for higher sell-back prices at the Campus Bookstore. I will work with administrators to lower the prices of cafeteria food. I also think the parking ticket system is a little too punitive. Furthermore, parking lot safety has become a growing concern. It is my goal to make student life at Palomar as easy, safe, and affordable as possible.

How will you improve student involvement?

Student involvement with the A.S.G. is very low. Last year only 57 students voted out of 30,000 in the A.S.G. election. This year I intend to change that turnout by suggesting an incentive system with professors from the Economics, History, and Political Sciences Departments which involves attending an A.S.G. meeting for extra credit.

If this is implemented it will raise awareness and give students a curriculum-based opportunity to see first-hand how the A.S.G. operates.

To encourage student involvement in clubs and campus events, I also intend to petition for the permission of professors to put a regularly updated 8x11” flyer in certain classrooms. I will also implement a comment box for students to voice their opinions and desires for the A.S.P.C. and the A.S.G. I want students to feel like they are connected to their student government.

What are your goals if you win the position?

My primary goal is to put money back in the pockets of students. I have three ideas for how we can go about doing this: a) Lower Cafeteria prices. b) Higher return prices at the Campus Bookstore. c) Less punitive parking ticket system.

I will also: 1) Increase parking availability.

2) Increase parking lot safety on campus.

3) Lobby Sacramento and the Board of Governors to ensure the benefits of Proposition 30 are met for the students.

How do you plan to get out there and advertise what the A.S.G.

does for students?

There are many ways. First, when I’m in between classes, I try to talk with students. I ask them how Palomar is treating them. What needs improvement? Then I let them know how the A.S.G. might be able to help. Second, I will post updates on the A.S.G. bulletin board in the student union and on the A.S.G. website.

I will also request approval to hang banners in the student union which will inform students of any changes.

I will regularly update the staff of our campus newspaper, The Telescope, on the progress of A.S.G. I believe transparency and communication are key to keeping a unified student body.

How will you improve student involvement?

Tell us a little more about yourself.

My name is Genesis Gilroy, I am 21 years of age and this is my second year at Palomar. I am double majoring in political science and communications and am preparing to transfer to the University of California Santa Barbara in the fall. I intend to pursue an Internship with our local Congressman, Darrell Issa.

I’m crossing my fingers. In five years I hope to be making progress in a master’s degree and preparing for my doctorate.

In my spare time I enjoy reading, participating in protests and other forms of political activism, hiking, and camping in our nearby Anza Borrego Desert. No matter where my career carries me, I want to stay connected to our beautiful planet and the nature she has to offer.

How do you plan to get out there and advertise what the ASG does for students?

KATELYN MORIKAWA 18 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR SENATOR Why are you running for the position you are running for?

After being an intern at Poway City Hall last year, I became interested in helping my community and being a community leader. When I started going to Palomar I was inspired to join ASG, because I knew that if I wanted to make a difference in the community, the best way to do so would be to join student government. Hopefully, becoming a senator will allow me to showcase and improve my leadership skills, as well as meet new people.

How will you make a difference for the students? What is the most important thing in campus that needs to be improved?

I hope to get students involved at Palomar, by promoting and encouraging school spirit. Many Palomar students are only here for a limited amount of time, and I want to encourage them to make the most of their time, by participating in clubs, sports, and events here on campus.

As for improvement, I think that the campus needs more areas that promote studying. I realize that the library is a popular place to study, but I personally prefer quieter and smaller studying environments. I’m so glad to have found the STEM center, hidden away in the third floor of the NS building, but I just wish there were more of those study lounges all around campus.

I think the only thing that is keeping more Palomar students from becoming involved is a lack of communication. I think there needs to be a newsletter or a weekly announcement that get students excited about becoming involved.

What are your goals if you win the position?

As a senator, I just hope to make a difference in my final year at Palomar. My experience at Palomar has been great; I want to leave this an even better place than when I started.

I know there are already a lot of flyers on campus promoting ASG, but a small column in every issue of the newspaper would be a great way to reach students. It would allow us to promote ASG sponsored events and expand our audience. Many students don’t know how much our student government does for our school.

Tell us a little more about yourself.

I graduated high school in 2012, and I am currently in my first year (second semester) at Palomar. I am a Business Economics major and I plan to transfer in a year. I am a member of Palomar’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Honestly, I could see myself doing a lot of things in five years: I could be pursuing a post-graduate degree or starting my career. Even though I do not have a specific job/career that I want, I think that makes me very relatable to many students here. I am highly motivated, so I know that whatever I want to do, I will do everything in my power until it becomes a reality. All I really know is that I hope to be doing something I love, and something that I am good at.

CARLOS ARAUJO 20 YEARS OLD RUNNING FOR SENATOR Why are you running for the position you are running for?

Palomar has a very special place on my heart; it has given me the opportunity to grow not only as a student but also as a person. As a senator, I want to show that Palomar is a great place for students to achieve their goals, aspirations, dreams, etc. Students deserve the creative learning environment to explore their own academic and artistic interests that would benefit them later in life.

How will you make a difference for the students? What is the most important thing in campus that needs to be improved?

I am passionate about Palomar, and I am passionate about helping the students.

TURN TO ELECTION CON’T, PAGE 12

4 • OPINION

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Monday, May 6, 2013 EIC farewell

the telescope Focused On Palomar Monday, May 6, 2013 Vol. 66, No. 16 Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.

KAITY BERGQUIST editor in chief COLLEEN PETERS MANAGING EDITOR & COPY EDITOR APRIL TESTERMAN NEWS EDITOR MARISSA MILLOY OPINION EDITOR EMMA MALISZEWSKI LIFE EDITOR SYDNEY DAVISON assistant LIFE EDITOR SCOTT ROBERSON SPORTS EDITOR SCOTT MORTON ONLINE EDITOR MATTHEW SLAGLE MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ERIN HIRO ADVISER DEB HELLMAN BUSINESS MANAGER STAFF WRITERS Rose Miriam Babiarz, Lloyd Bravo, Carolyne Corelis, David krueger, Cliff Ireland, Gary Nelson, Heather Randall, zach phelps, Nada Sewidan, Christine Foronda, Nicole Gibbs, Diana Valdez, Jordan Greene PHOTOGRAPHERS PETER ASHUE, Phyllis Celmer, Brian Korec, Andrea Gruber Matthies, Gary West

ADDRESS THE TELESCOPE PALOMAR COLLEGE 1140 W. MISSION ROAD, SAN MARCOS, CA 92069 PHONE / 760-891-7865 NEWSROOM / MD-228 website/ www.the-telescope.com facebook/ search “the telescope” twitter/ @telescopenews EMAIL/ editor@THE-TELESCOPE.COM AD EMAIL/ ADS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM THE TELESCOPE WELCOMES ALL LETTERS TO THE Editor.

Letters must be typewritten, under 300 words and include the author’s first and last names, major and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published. Letters should be emailed to editor@the-telescope.com.

The Telescope reserves the right to edit letters for space and grammatical errors and not to print lewd or libelous letters. Letters must be received one week prior to the newspaper’s publication to be considered for inclusion.

The Telescope is published 8 times per semester.

Opinions expressed in the newspaper are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, Palomar faculty and staff members or the governing board trustees.

ASSOCIATED COLLEGE PRESS

california newspaper publisher’s association

Endings are sometimes bittersweet Kaity Bergquist The Telescope

In about two weeks I will be graduating from Palomar College and officially ending my tenure as Editor-in-Chief of The Telescope.

It’s surreal. I’ve been on the newspaper for five semesters. It’s consumed my life and become a part of me. I don’t know how I’m going to handle it being over.

Over the last two years I’ve grown and learned more than can be explained. I’ve worked with the most amazing staff and had the most incredible opportunities.

I feel like I’ve come so far in such a short amount of time.

I’ll never forget that first visit to the newsroom during my senior year of high school. I went to what was a supposed to be an open house during a production night, but what ended up being two people awkwardly watching other people work - and with none of the promised food in sight.

But soon enough, the adviser, Erin Hiro, put me to work copy editing pages, and I loved it. I distinctly remember catching a ton of errors, picking up the paper the next week and already loving my ability to participate. And eventually the promised food showed up, so it was a good night.

Being on the newspaper has allowed me to make an impact on this campus. Too many students come on campus for class and then leave. They don’t get involved. For me, the newspaper became my reason to love Palomar. I loved having a reason to stick around and work hard and make a difference on this

campus by putting out 12 (or so) pages of content every week. Newspapers may be dying, but there’s nothing like picking up that piece of paper and saying ‘wow, we did that.’

I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to participate in almost every aspect of the newspaper - I was the assistant sports editor, the sports editor, the copy editor, the managing editor, a page designer, a photographer (kind of) and finally the editor-in-chief.

There were pros and cons to all of them, but I absolutely loved being the sports editor and designing pages.

The best part about being on The Telescope was the people. My fellow Telescope members are what made my newspaper experience the best. We didn’t always like each other, and we had many more rough times than need to be brought up. But I’ll never forget the camaraderie, the late nights, the food runs, the jokes, the newsroom pranks and our victories together. So many inside jokes and laughter. It’s been a blast. I’ve gained lifetime friends here and that’s something special.

It never ceased to amaze me how well the newspaper did when put up against other newspapers. As a staff, we go to two community college journalism conferences a year - one for Southern California schools and one for all the schools in the state. Each time we always bring home tons of awards, but one of my proudest moments as Editor-in-Chief was when we won the Pacesetter award just a few weeks ago - only four out of 41 schools in the state got it and we were one of them.

The award is a representation of a newspaper that’s going above and beyond an

setting an example.

That would be my challenge to future staffers of The Telescope. Be a pacesetter. Do crazy things on the front page that other newspapers wouldn’t even consider. Pursue the tough stories diligently. Get the best photos you can possibly get. Don’t settle for just getting things done - go above and beyond. We’ve proved that we’re on the right track - it’s up to you to keep it going.

So thank you - to Erin, Deb, Lindsey and everyone who has taught me so much. Thank you to Colleen and Matt, who’ve been with me on this journey since the beginning. Thank you to everyone that I’ve worked with - from my first semester to my last, you all are amazing. Thank you to those with whom I interacted for stories. Thank you to the Palomar baseball team for being such an awesome team to cover. Thank you to my fellow journalists at other colleges (AKA the competition). I’m happy to call some of you friends. Thank you to my friends and family who’ve been with me through every step of this crazy journey.

I can’t truly convey how grateful I am to have had this amazing opportunity to run a newspaper. It’s been a wonderful ride.

As for my future, I’m planning on transferring to Azusa Pacific University next spring and pursuing a career in sports journalism. But I know that no matter where I go and what I do in life, nothing will compare to The Telescope and the remarkable experiences I’ve had here. These are the days that I’ll never forget.

KBergquist@the-telescope.com

SELF-Image

Women have a hard time with self acceptance Jordan Greene The Telescope

Women have an increasingly difficult time accepting the way they look.

They inaccurately judge themselves based on what they see on TV and tabloids. They are eternally trying to compete with other women who are “prettier” than them.

Being a woman myself, I understand the desire to have a great body, perfect smile, hair and complexion.

In one American survey, “81 percent of 10-year-old girls had already dieted at least once.”

This is astonishing. Ten-year-old girls are in the fifth grade, and this means 81 percent of

girls in elementary schools have been on a diet.

Not only is it extremely unhealthy and damaging, but this supports the horrible notion that girls get the idea that they need to be thin to amount to anything in this world at a very early age.

This holds true throughout most of the girls’ lives. According to the same article, 80 percent of women over 18 do not like what they see in the mirror each day. This is due to a nonstop influx of images of beautiful super models that put false expectations into their minds.

In a recent study by Dove, an artist sketched multiple women based on how they saw themselves and how others saw them, and compared the two. The women described themselves in a much more negative way than

others described them.

The current idealistic body shape and size is realistically unattainable, yet millions of women still strive for this perception of ‘perfection’ every day and let their lives be overrun by the thought of not looking good enough.

Some women have a hard time recognizing themselves as being beautiful due to other traumas in their lives that have made them feel inferior. There are things that can be done every day to help build self-confidence and self-esteem.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE AT The-Telescope.com JGreene@the-telescope.com

OPINION • 5

the telescope Media

Media outlets should be more cautious Scott Morton The Telescope

The recent events in Boston have shown us that the news is in an immature phase.

It has new tools such as the Internet and Twitter, but it doesn’t know how to play nice with them.

Media outlets need to use careful discretion when deciding how to report the news.

They need to carefully and check every fact and source. They need to not post painful images that cause more grief to families. They need to consider the bias of every story and how it will make readers feel.

In my time studying journalism I have paid close attention to the shift from reading a paper article to interacting with an online article.

The success of the Internet has changed how people get their news. People want everything immediately.

This emphasis on instant gratification has lead to erroneous reports. News organizations are all competing to get the first story out, churning out misinformation and turning to unreliable sources like Twitter and Reddit for the hottest lead.

Scene of the Boston Marathon bombing aftermath. • MCT Campus Real news sources have the advantage The day after the bombing, the cover over the blogosphere by having fact of The Boston Globe showed a body that checkers. Professional news organizations had been injured by a bomb. can set themselves apart from the millions This paper and its full size photo of of bloggers and tweeters by being precise gore was distributed around the city of and accurate.

Boston and viewed all over the United In an effort to keep up with the States.

Internet’s thirst for violence, newspapers The community was shown the and their websites have been posting bloodiest reminder of the tragedy. more graphic images.

This has even happened locally when

the North County Times published a photo on the front page of a veteran midair jumping off the Interstate 5. While the story was important to publish because traffic had been stopped in Oceanside during rush hour, printing the photo of the man falling caused unnecessary grief.

A responsible media outlet would report information without the need to use violent images.

Bloody images will always exist on the Internet to look up, but a better image can be used for major news sources.

News organizations need to think about the context their headlines will be taken in. “Marathon Terror” paired with a bloody image is scary. It was already a very important story and did not need to be sensationalized any further.

Newspapers have a golden opportunity to take a higher ground and separate from the bloggers all over the Internet.

Blogs can have the free, instant, unreliable information, and better news organizations can strive for quality content that has been fact-checked.

Media outlets need to distinguish themselves from the rabid Internet by being calculated and professional.

Smorton@the-telescope.com

media literacy

Media Literacy in the Age of Information Nicole Gibbs The Telescope

Americans are spending every waking minute exposed to some form of media.

This morning I woke up, and before I even got out of bed, I checked my Twitter and Facebook accounts. A quick Google search tells me that, on average, half the population of both the United States and the U.K. is doing the exact same thing.

Before we go to bed, when we first wake up, sit in traffic, during class, at work, all day long we are on social networking sites. We are exposed to news through the radio, television, in books, magazines, TV shows, songs on the radio, anything on the Internet, billboards that line the street.

It is apparent to all of us that Illustration by Don Addis/St. Petersburg Times we are living in a very unique period in time. We have technologies available to us today that weren’t even still a problem where people believe much conceived of 100 years ago. of what the information consumed on the The Internet has opened up a whole Internet, seen on TV or even watched on new level of thinking, making it incredibly YouTube, without ever considering where easy for anyone to access any information it came from. they want.

An example: Recently a friend of mine And while there is no denying that this posted a meme where President Obama and technology is amazing and wonderful, it the First Lady allegedly failed to place their is also important for us to be able to take a hands over their hearts during the pledge of very close look at the information we are allegiance (yeah, you know the one). consuming.

People from all over the country jumped We live in an era where the Internet on this idea that our president is antiallows anyone to post information freely American. Now, a quick fact0check reveals and openly. And while anyone over the age that this photo is completely photoshopped. of 10 is aware that the Internet can often However, no matter how many other sites be used as a tool to deceive others, there is have posted information on the origination

of this rumor and its refutation, thousands of Americans remain outraged at our “terrorist president.”

As adults pursuing a college education, it is our responsibility to be able to decipher what is fact and fiction.

We have an obligation to our families, our children, our friends, our coworkers and anyone else we come into contact with (especially those who are not so privileged as to have the opportunity for higher education that we have).

It is on us to be able to tell fact from fiction, and to be able to help others to see this, too.

In today’s trend of political extremism

especially, it is important for us to be able to use the critical thinking skills that our professors so highly encourage, to decipher the information we are taking in.

This sounds great in theory, but how do we put it into action?

Simple. Question everything.

Remember being a kid and seeing all those commercials on TV, each product claiming that it was the best? I remember a specific conversation with my mother about how we can’t believe everything that is on TV, as I am sure many other people had with their own parents.

Well, that non-belief has been extended to every aspect of media. Not only can we not believe everything that is on TV, we can’t believe everything that is on the Internet, in a book, even in course curriculum. We can’t believe everything that people tell us, or even everything that we think we know.

There is a theory of philosophy called epistemology. In essence, this is the study of how we know what we know. As college students in this world of instant information, it might be prudent for us to practice some of this classic way of thinking about the world, especially when it comes to information and media.

I think the first step in truly becoming media literate is to question everything we read, see, or hear and ask “where does this knowledge come from? How do they know this?”

If we can’t answer that question, we need to really consider the validity of the source. ngibbs@the-telescope.com

6 • OPINION

Monday, May 6, 2013

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Studentathletes are already compensated enough

Collegiate athletes deserve to be paid for their abilities

PRo

Scott Roberson The Telescope

Can you imagine a business model in which the employers didn’t pay their employees? How about a corporation in which the employers made millions, but the employees were penalized for receiving any form of benefits? This model is not fiction and is currently being practiced in college sports.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) generated $845 billion last year. To me it is simple.

The resources are available, so we must pay the players.

According to Corey Walker of Bleacher Report, Ohio State University made $118 million in football revenue in 2009 alone.

Walker questioned, and so do I, why he should be enraged over Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State’s quarterback from 2008-2011, in receiving a free tattoo while the football program made millions of dollars off of his and his teammates’ efforts.

I do not believe universities should pay these athletes in excess, nor do I believe they should be paid by their performance.

However, a monthly stipend, in accordance to the cost of living in that area, should be allocated to these athletes.

The most common argument against athletes being paid is that the scholarships provided save the individuals money from student loans. In addition, they have the opportunity to receive a top-notch education.

I can smell the crap from here.

The requirements are much more demanding for those on athletic scholarships compared to an academic scholarship, yet the same form of education is provided.

While students participating on an academic scholarship are required to maintain a GPA, athletes are required to uphold a GPA while dedicating “X” amount of hours a week to successfully compete for their school.

Student athletes, for the most part, are young adults who have never lived away from home.

They simply do not have the experience in time management and do not possess the self-discipline

CON needed to hold a job while making time for class, study and practice.

College is the first opportunity when young students have the freedom to explore who they are and express themselves.

Unfortunately, not all athletes have the money to interact with their peers and develop some sort of social life.

Believe it or not, having a life outside of the classroom and school in general is essential. Without a break, students may become overwhelmed.

According to dailyfinance.com, 86 percent of of athletes in college actually live beneath the poverty line. Without a steady source of income (i.e. a job), and the absence of financial support from home, results in minor and major infractions being committed to NCAA regulations.

According to Isaac Newton’s third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Poverties. org indicates that the United States has performed many studies since the 1970s that have linked a connection between unemployment, poverty and crime.

So just as neighborhoods with high poverty correlate with higher crime rates, there is a high probability that infractions made against the NCAA regulations were made because these athletes had little to no money in their pockets.

Reggie Bush was penalized and stripped of the most prestigious award in college football, the Heisman trophy. All because he accepted money to have his family taken care of.

It’s not steroids. It is not any form of performance enhancing drugs. It did not give him an unfair advantage on the field, nor did it violate a state or federal law.

Would providing a stipend to these athletes end all future infractions?

Absolutely not. There will always be the select few who choose to violate anyway, but it should alleviate the financial tribulations that have led to many of these violations.

SRoberson@the-telescope.com

Cliff Ireland The Telescope

Yes, it is true. There is no way to deny it. NCAA sports make a lot of money every year. According to NCAA.org, they made $871.6 million in revenue for the 2011-2012 year.

Yes, it is also true that schools with big football programs will also make huge revenues from their teams. For instance, in a December article for Forbes, Chris Smith reported that the Texas Longhorns Football program had revenue of $104 million in 2011.

Yep, it’s a lot of money and one has to think about where that money is going or where it should be going. One place, though, that it shouldn’t be going is to the players themselves.

There’s been a suggestion that NCAA athletes should receive a monthly stipend of $1,500 or $2,000 a month.

It is easy to say the players for college teams are being taken advantage of because the colleges are making profit off of their hard work, but should they be paid?

No, they shouldn’t and NCAA President Mark Emmert agrees. While speaking to the Houston Economic Club in November 2011, The Associated Press quoted Emmert as being adamant about never allowing students to be paid.

In his article “NCAA student-athlete participation hits 450,000” for NCAA. org, Gary Brown reported that the 2011-2012 year had the highest amount of athletes for any year in the NCAA history.

In that school year, there was a total of 453,347 college athletes. I am not the greatest at math, but 453,347 athletes times $1,500 each equals out to $680,020,500. That’s a lot of Benjamins for only one month.

Now, remember that $871.6 million in profit I mentioned earlier that the NCAA made in profit for one year. Well, that same year they also had $800 million in expenses.

There is a little left over yes, but clearly not enough to cover the $1,500 stipend that will be paid to each athlete for only one month.

So where is the rest of the money going to come from? Will the NCAA pay it? How about the colleges themselves?

What, how about the federal government? Lord knows we Americans love our sports.

Wait, now someone is going to bring up the fact that not all athletes should get paid. That is interesting, because who and how is that decided?

Can you imagine being the Athletic Director and having to tell the women’s soccer team that even though they won the Division 1 championship, they are not going to be getting a stipend because no one went to their games.

I would love being the reporter covering that lawsuit.

Really, what it comes down to is, if people think college athletes get enough with just an athletic scholarship. To do that, it is important to understand what they do get.

To put it simple: Free food (even specialized by nutritionists), free housing, free traveling, free trainers, free health insurance, free tutoring, free public relations that could lead to a job and most importantly, a free education.

To help put into perspective how much some athletes are getting for free, last year’s final BCS top five football team’s average cost of attendance for one year was slightly over $43,000.

I figured that alone equals to $172,000 worth of education. What I found most intriguing about that, though, is that it is $172,000 less than the average student might have to take on after graduating from those same schools.

I couldn’t imagine going to a school like Notre Dame, where, according to its website, the cost of attendance for one year is $60,117, for free.

Sports is a business, and if you still want to complain about it, come play at Palomar College. This is a junior college where I have had the pleasure of watching some outstanding athletes play their respective sports.

And guess what, they don’t get a free ride, because no junior college athlete in California does.

As a matter of fact, they pay to go to school and to play the sport that they love. I like to believe that, maybe for them, it’s still about the game. cireland@the-telescope.com

LIFE • 7

the telescope pctv

PCTV creates award-winning video series for biology class David Krueger The telescope

PCTV production crew on location in Santa Barbara/Courtesy of PCTV

A scene from Lesley Williams’ interview/Courtesy of PCTV

Taking online classes can be somewhat of a drag, not to mention it takes superhuman focus to stay self-motivated throughout the semester.

To keep things interesting, Palomar College Television (PCTV) and the Biology Department have developed an award-winning informative videos series designed to shake up the online curriculum.

Biology Professor Lesley Williams and PCTV spearheaded the project for Williams’ online life science classes.

Those classes include Bio 135: Biology of Marine Mammals and Zoology 135, which even non-biology majors can take.

The new video series is based on a documentary produced by PCTV titled, “Threatened: The Controversial Struggle Of The Southern Sea Otter.”

Williams said she feels that utilizing videos in her curriculum creates a more realistic and engaging online classroom session.

Compared to most online classes, which are oftentimes difficult for students to fully grasp the material, Williams has found that videos convey information more effectively than just pen and paper.

Her objective is to not only help students easily understand the material, but more importantly, to help them become better citizens in terms of protecting the ocean and conserving it.

Williams added that it’s not just about understanding specific biological principles, but more so rec-

Film Cover • Courtesy of PCTV

ognizing that solutions to problems are usually not singular, they’re multi-faceted and everyone can play a role in being a good citizen.

Since the documentary was implemented into her courses, both student performance and attendance have increased significantly.

Her classes have received a great deal of positive feedback from current students.

Wendy Rose, 40, a biology student at Palomar, wrote in an e-mail; “I love the video lectures of my online Biology of Marine Mammals. They are informative, thought-provoking and sometimes heart-wrenching to watch.

All of which has had a dramatically positive impact upon my learning experience.”

Outside of the classroom, the documentary itself has received both national and international recognition.

The film recently received five Emmy nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as a nomination for “Best Documentary” at the Fallbrook Film Festival and was

also featured at the Julian Film Festival in San Diego.

The film touches on a number of sensitive topics, which include land-based pollution threats, starvation, oil spills, and the commercial shellfish industry.

Over the course of a year and a half in which the documentary was researched, produced and edited, Bill Wisneski, who produced the film, said; “The biggest challenge was how to tie it all together.”

PCTV received a grant for $8,000 from the Palomar Foundation (a non-profit organization) to help fund the project along with three other documentaries that PCTV is working on.

Both Williams and Wisneski are hopeful the video series they created will serve Palomar students for the next 20 years because of the long-term problems that sea otters will continue to face.

The documentary is available to the public free of charge at http:// www.palomar.edu/pctv/otter_ doc.shtml. dkrueger@the-telescope.com

8 • LIFE

Monday, May 6, 2013

LIFE • 9

the telescope

Photo Essay

Top Left: Rhyolite Ghost Town, April 4, 2013, Brandy Sebastian Top Middle: Sand Dunes Outside Stovepipe Wells, Calif., April 4, 2013, Albina Rasmussen Middle: Beatty Nevada, April 5, 2013, Andrea Gruber Matthies Top Right: Salt Flatts, Arpil 4, 2013, Andrew Serrano Bottom Left: Mosaic Canyon, April 4, 3013, Gary West Bottom Middle: Abandoned building in Ballarat Ghost Town, April 7, 2013, Dave Matthies Bottom Right: Racetrack Playa, April 4, 2013, Marcela Alauie

Students capture beauty in Death Valley

Palomar Photography Department’s Landscape Class, Photo 212, traveled to Death Valley in April for a five-day excursion.

Led by Photography Professor Donna Cosentino, the students practiced their craft through visiting numerous locations within this magnificent National Park. It was a trip of true discovery for the majority of the students who, for the first time, experienced the variety of geologic and man-made settings.

The weather cooperated with beautiful skies made just for photographing, and the variety of places allowed everyone to find their favorite subject. Students photographed the lowest spot in the northern hemisphere, Badwater, at 282 feet below sea level.

They had looked down to the same salt plain from over 5,000 feet at Dante’s View the previous day. Us-

ing both digital and film, they photographed canyons and playas, sand dunes and ghost towns. They photographed Ubehebe Crater where thousands of years ago a giant steam explosion created a depression hundreds of feet deep.

A magical place to see was the Racetrack, so named because large and small rocks mysteriously leave their tracks across the dry-lake bed as though they were in a competition.

Each semester the landscape class visits a different California location. In the Fall semester 2013, Professor Cosentino will lead the class to the Eastern Sierras where they will photograph Mono Lake, Tuolumne Meadows and Bodie ghost town.

DONNA CONSENTINO

10 • LIFE

Monday, May 6, 2013 movies

A guide to this summer’s most anticipated movies Lloyd Bravo The Telescope

The summer is upon us and, if you’re like me, then the scorching heat and melanoma threat is a lot to handle during the extended holiday.

However fear not, as I have the perfect situations to keep your pale skin from frying.

Summer marks the blockbuster movie season, where big studios distribute out their biggest and baddest in silver screen entertainment.

This is not for Oscar buzz films or contemporary art house cinema with insightful dialogue and exquisite acting. This is the time of year to sit, relax and marvel at the magic of movies.

However, with so many films it can become difficult to narrow down to essentials, especially with ticket and concession prices at an all-time high.

Never fear, I have compiled a list that looks at some of the most exciting and anticipated movies of the summer ranging from comic book, and sci-fi to comedic films that will invoke one word: Awesome.

The Hangover Part 3 Rated: R Release Date: 5/24/2013

Last Call: After the success of “The Hangover,” it is only necessary to have the studio green light the release of two more films.

Even though part two was a financial success, it was critically panned and was deemed a rehash of the original.

This could all change in Todd Phillips' third and final installment of “The Hangover,” series.

In the trailer, the story comes full circle and heads back to Las Vegas for an even bigger and more explosive conclusion that will most likely leave our sides and heads splitting.

Man of Steel Rated: PG-13 6/14/2013

Iron Man 3 Rated: PG-13 Release Date: 5/3/2013

Initiate Phase Two: After the tremendous success of Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers,” Marvel studios is looking to launch what they have called “Phase Two.” This phase is in reference to the five films that will be put together to make, “The Avengers 2,” starting with “Iron Man 3.”

Currently at a 92 percent on rotten tomatoes, director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) has found a formula not only to make "Iron Man" as big as “The Avengers,” but even bigger, sparking rumors that Whedon spoke to Black and jokingly said, “How am I supposed to follow this?”

Expect intense action and a memorable villain in Sir Ben Kingsley’s Mandarin, Iron Man’s most hated foe.

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane it’s… Superman is undoubtedly the most significant comic book character ever.

With his popularity in films beginning with Christopher Reeves, it is easy to see why audience wanted to see a revamped version of the alien from Krypton.

In 2006, “Superman Returns” hit theaters with a lukewarm reaction and left a bitter taste in fanboys' mouths.

With the resurgence of dark and serioustoned comic book films, starting with “Batman Begins,” Director Zack Snyder hopes to make the Superman film that casual and hardcore fans have been waiting for.

With Christopher Nolan producing and talks of a Justice League film in the works, “Man of Steel,” could be one of the biggest surprises of the summer and help launch DC to Marvel’s level.

Monster’s University Rated: PG

Star Trek into Darkness Rated: PG-13 Release Date: 5/17/2013

KHAAAANNN…or not.

There has been much speculation on what past character from the Star Trek Universe actor Benedict Cumberbatch was playing in JJ Abrams’ new film, “Star Trek into Darkness.”

However, like in the past, Abrams’ has kept the speculation to just that and the Internet has been buzzing of a return of Khan or even Gary Marshall, a low-tier character from the original series.

More importantly than the villain Cumberbatch may be playing, in the latest trailer and poster we see a fallen and destroyed Enterprise ship, which begs the question: if we know the Enterprise is destroyed, what huge set pieces and surprises does Abrams have for us this summer?

6/21/2013

Back to School: Monsters Inc. is on the list of top five best Pixar films ever.

However, in the past few years the originality and fresh story telling has be lackluster at best.

The last great non-sequel film Pixar made was “Up” in 2009 (No, “Brave” was not good and it snubbed “Frankenwinnie” for best animated picture at the Oscars).

This doesn’t mean there hasn’t been a great sequel by Pixar (Toy Stories 2 and 3), but new content and worlds gave Pixar its infamous charm.

Regardless, I find Pixar films as a tentpole event, and “Monsters University” could fall in the “Toy Story,” category of great-animated sequels and not the “Cars,” category for atrocious films.

The summer is filled with tons of fun in the sun activities, but if you’d rather park in the dark, these films will help you beat the heat and keep you entertained. lbravo@the-telescope.com

LIFE • 11

the telescope poetry

Palomar student self-publishes poetry ebook Emma Maliszewski The Telescope

Getting a book deal is a coveted achievement, but is beyond difficult to obtain. Many authors are now opting to self-publish on the less expensive eBook format.

Under the alias, Asketes, Palomar student Robert Duncan is doing just that and self-publishing an eBook titled, “I am. Are you?”

Duncan said the title came as an epiphany, and its meaning is open to interpretation for the reader.

The novel journey is a collection of poems and literature that, “tells the story of a life through inspirational thoughts and ideas of awareness and the world around you,” Duncan said.

Duncan uses the pen name Asketes in all of his published online work, and said he believes the name represents humility and humbleness to his readers.

“My goal isn’t to make money; my dream is to find my book in a modern poetry class or to inspire someone even if I don’t know. I have this whole dream of inspiring someone or changing someone and not knowing them. Not getting the glory from it just a personal humbleness and that’s what Asketes is to me,” he said.

The book is scheduled to be available this summer and can be purchased at asketes.com. Duncan is offering a 50 percent discount to Palomar students with a Palomar e-mail address.

Duncan wants his work to be as accessible as possible for students.

“I am determined to bring this book to light that I may inspire others,” he said.

Duncan has published numerous works online under the name Asketes. His Facebook page is a continual feed of original thoughts, and uses the online platform to receive feedback and talk with fellow writers.

Duncan wanted to connect with established authors and did so by reaching out to them on social media. “My roommate at the time pushed me to do Twitter; he was the one that was good at twitter. I just wanted to get writers to talk to me,” Duncan said.

After three months of persistently reposting, Duncan got conversations going with some of the writers he followed; that motivated him and sharpened his writing skills.

“As writers, we love compliments. They stroke the soul, but at the same time, if everyone, for the lack of a better word, lies to you, you’ll never improve your writing,” he said.

Duncan first became interested in writing after a creative writing course he took at Palomar. His teacher encouraged him to write a page every day and after a year you’ll have 365 pages.

“So I took that to heart, and once a week I just sat down and wrote. I write with passion. I don’t write with a goal. I only write when something comes to mind,

Robert Duncan poses for photo April 16 at Palomar’s Library. • Andrea Gruber Matthies/ Telescope

and I do more like a brain dump than a brainstorm,” he said.

Prior to the class, Duncan ad-

mits he wasn’t much of a writer, but he was always creative and was always intrigued by philo-

sophical writings Duncan’s newfound enjoyment for writing and his interest in philosophy is ultimately what pushed him to pursue poetry.

“I like thinking. I like critical analysis. I like to pick people’s brains. It’s much easier to think in a fragment form than complete sentence. Poetry makes sense to me. It’s all a bunch of fragments rather than complete sentences,” Duncan said.

According to Duncan, what his readers really appreciate about his work is that it doesn’t feel mechanical or made for anyone elsethe thoughts exist somewhere inside of them.

“A lot of my stuff comes out really rough and doesn’t quite make sense because I’m just writing as the words come out. Then I refine them a little bit. They don’t feel rough, but they feel very alive because they’re not thought out ahead of time,” Duncan said.

Duncan is in the process of teaching himself how to publish his own eBook. He is funding the printing and binding himself, and sending hard copies to publishers and book companies in hopes to turn his eBook into a traditional book.

While Duncan isn’t interested in a capital gain, he is anxious to have his compilation of thoughts and inspirations available so others can be changed by them. emaliszewski@the-telescope.com

High School

High school students take courses at Palomar Nada Sewidan The Telescope

An independent learning program offered through various high schools allows students to complete high school and college courses simultaneously while receiving both high school and college credit.

Two Palomar College students who also attend Escondido Charter High School reveal how the independent study program operates, how it has benefited them as students, and how it will continue to benefit their education.

Lily Ching and Blair Vanwagnor both participate in this independent learning program that allows them to take college level courses on Palomar campus while still attending high school.

Vanwagnor and Ching are both immersed in the program and are satisfied so far with how it operates. “I like it [the independent study program] a lot better than regular school,” Vanwagnor said.

“This program has given me a sense of what I want to do later in life," Ching added.

Vanwagnor said that prior to entering such programs, students are to be tested to judge their proficiency level in English and mathematics. This allows administrators to judge whether a student is qualified

High school students use laptops in class. • Elizabeth Lara/The Record/MCT Campus

and able to handle the program.

Once a student passes the proficiency test, they discuss their plan with a counselor. A student may choose different routes to complete the necessary requirements, but they can also choose to go beyond the high school requirements and begin working on their college courses.

These students finish courses at their own pace through assigned

packets. The amount of packets vary between courses. Currently, Vanwagnor is taking English 11, which includes 13 packets. You can finish the packets at your own pace, taking on multiple packets a week. A student works independently, and when completed, students meet with an educator once a week to review and grade their packets.

Vanwagnor explained how

flexible this program can be and that some students can graduate early if they choose. “I’m not graduating early though,” Vanwagnor said. “I’m planning to stay and take college courses here at Palomar so I can get a head start on my general education requirements.”

High school students who plan to take college courses at Palomar must have approval from their district official, Palomar College

admission supervisor Ralph Baker explained. Parental consent is required as well.

Students submit the forms to the Palomar College Admissions Office to receive an appointment date for registration. However, students involved in the independent study program do not receive priority registration and receive later appointment dates.

Aside from getting an early start on general ed, Ching said she does not have to pay for the college courses taken at Palomar College. “I only have to pay for the books,” Ching said.

Vanwagnor agreed. “It’s a lot nicer and saves me a lot of money.”

Ching added that there is another way the program has benefited her as an individual.

“This program has made me more independent and more willing to do things on my own,” Ching said. “I do not feel like I constantly need reassurance from my parents and teachers.”

Ching said that when taking college courses while still of high school age, students tend to take on more of a responsibility. “I think it’s good to take on responsibility at a younger age because it helps you grow,” Ching said. nsewdain@the-telescope.com

12 • NEWS

Monday, May 6, 2013

SSTF

Recommendations met with cautious optimism Heather Randall the telescope

Each of California’s 112 community colleges has received a scorecard from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCO) to use as a tool to gauge the past and future performance of students.

On April 9, an initiative, called The Student Success Task Force (SSTF) made recommendations in areas such as completion rate, persistence, remedial and career technical education.

The SSTF recommendations are in response to the state’s expectation that community colleges get students transfer ready and through the community college system faster.

While not every recommendation will be mandated by the fall semester, the SSTF recommendations will have immediate and widespread impact on Palomar students and staff.

In his report at the April 9 Board of Trustees meeting, Palomar College President and Superintendent Robert Deegan reported on the scorecard data.

“What it shows is if you come to Palomar College, and you’re college prepared, you’re going to do very well here, no doubt about it. If you’re under prepared, it’s going to be a little tough road for you,” Deegan said.

All incoming students can expect to be encouraged to see a counselor and create an education plan in the fall. Those who receive financial aid, will be required to do so.

Vice President of Student

Services Berta Cuaron said she does not necessarily see the increased push for students to have education plans as a bad thing. She said that an education plan can help students “formulate a purpose,” which will help them to select the classes they need to take, and move through the matriculation process more efficiently.

The scorecard data is organized into an easy-to-read bar graph. Each college has its own profile and data in the various categories broken down by ethnicity, sex and age. The data does not currently account for socioeconomic impact on students.

According to Palomar’s scorecard, based only on this year’s data, 68 percent of students overall who arrive at Palomar College prepared will graduate or become transfer ready over a six-year period.

The state of California would like to see the six-year transfer average for community college students reduced to four years.

In addition to the state’s expectation that students reduce the amount of time they spend at Palomar College, California Gov. Jerry Brown has also recently proposed that Palomar increase its transfer rate by 10 percent if the school wants to see more money from the state.

The Student Success Initiative does not include automatic state money to implement the changes.

Psychology Professor Katie Townsend-Merino, who is on Palomar’s taskforce, said that is a lofty goal for colleges.

“We’ve actually been work-

ing on increasing this and colleges have made some real difference, but by real difference, I mean they moved it a few percentage points,” TownsendMerino said. “Ten percentage points is huge.”

She voiced her concern that performance-based funding will put faculty in the awkward position of feeling they should give students passing grades so they can transfer and Palomar can receive additional funding.

Palomar’s Institutional Research and Planning Director Michelle Barton included in an April 9 report to Palomar’s Board of Trustees that it is important to look at rates of graduations over an extended period of time for accuracy.

Data can fluctuate depending on time of year, since many students transfer to private schools or out of state and there may be a delay in Palomar receiving that data.

Palomar’s administrators and Counseling Department are also working on the development of an online counseling component to help make up for the current deficit in the number of counselors available compared to the number of students who need access to them.

“They’re developing some online orientation. We’ve got an academic advising module, but that still does not alleviate the need for students who come in and who have no idea what they are wanting to do, to interact with a counselor,” Barton said.

TURN TO SSTF, PAGE 13

elections con’t Continued from Page 3

I want to make Palomar a more “Green” Campus (environmentally-friendly), embrace diversity, promote the arts and help students out with the transferring process. Other than the communication between the ASG and the students that I have stressed so much later on this interview, I believe there are many areas that have not reached its full potential that I could help develop.

new activities and passions to explore. I would like to work with the different departments to help the students get more involved with their own corresponding fields of interest. College also needs to be an enjoyable experience -- that’s why I want Palomar to have more events, festivals, shows, etc., to promote student interaction.

and that is something that has to change now.

How will you improve student involvement?

Research shows that as levels of student involvement/ engagement increase, so do levels of student retention in higher education. Getting involved in groups that share common interests or attending activities offered by the college can be fun.

I want to help promote the creation of new clubs and support the current ones to grow, so students can find

I want students to know that we are here to represent them; we need student-feedback in order to inform us what they want to change. One of my main priorities is to get students more involved at Palomar and create a more effective, direct way of communication between the ASG and the students. It has come to my attention that many students didn’t even know that Palomar has an ASG,

Tell us a little more about yourself.

Major: Psychology Pre-Med

How do you plan to get out there and advertise what the ASG does for students?

Though the use of social media, promotion of campus events, and – most importantly – through doing a great job. Effective and supportive work will let What are your goals if you students know that we are win the position? working on their side!

Age: 20 I have attended Palomar for 2 years already.

In five years, I plan to have completed my bachelors at either UCSD or UCLA and, hopefully, will be attending Med school at NYU to become a psychiatrist.

Awards

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

PETER ORDILLE

MATTHEW PIZZORNO

On April 19, the winners of the Distinguished Faculty Award were announced to the public.

The winner of the full-time Distinguished Faculty Award is Pete Ordille, who teaches Emergency Medical Technician classes. The full-time finalists were Jenny Fererro (Child Development), Chantal Flanagan (Nursing), Lawrence Lawson (ESL) and Leanne Maunu (English).

Matthew Pizzorno, who teaches English as a Second Language classes, is the recipient of this year’s part-time distinguished faculty award. The part-time faculty finalists were Justin Estep (Psychology) and Debbi Morrissette (Biology).

The full-time faculty member becomes the chair of the committee and receives a monetary award of $1,000 and will speak at Palomar’s spring commencement ceremony.

For profiles on the two winners, check out thetelescope.com

NEWS • 13

the telescope CENSURE Continued from Page 1

Finkenthal, who has been teaching within the Physics and Engineering Department at Palomar for 16 years, sees the censure as a mere defamation of his character and characterizes it as a “witch hunt.” He emphasized that he has never been to an ASG meeting to which he wasn’t invited, and doesn’t have any recollection of “harassing” members of the ASG. Sen. Thorp said he is the one who collected the documents which were then sent through policies and procedures. After Sen. Thorp made the motion to approve the censure, it was then voted on and approved.

The approved document titled, “ASG Censure of Dr. Finkenthal” contains five parts: Exhibit 1—Misrepresenting ASG Business, Exhibit 2—Manipulating ASG Business, Exhibit 3— Badgering the ASG, Exhibit 4— The manipulation of students, and the relationships between

Dr. Finkenthal and the Coalition for a Democratic Education, Exhibit 5—Misrepresentation of Authorship.

“The censure is actually protected by free speech,” said Farmer. “So, anybody even suggesting that we don’t have the right to censure would be violating our free speech.” He went on to say that anyone who tries to publicly stop the ASG’s ability to censure will “find themselves up against a huge legal battle, which they will lose.”

In response, Finkenthal says the ASG wants to be “judge and jury all themselves,” and that the ASG is actually inhibiting his First Amendment rights by not allowing him to comment on censure.

Finkenthal stressed that the Bill of Rights was drafted and intended to protect the people from the government, not to protect the government from the people.

“If anything is a First Amendment violation, it is clear that the

ASG is upset about things that I’ve been saying, so they’re taking formal action to punish me for saying things that they don’t like. So they are the First Amendment violators,” Finkenthal said.

According to Finkenthal, the ASG did not approach him regarding the censure, and he has not been given the opportunity to defend himself. He believes that due process is an essential part of democracy and that “if we don’t learn appropriately and we misunderstand that, then we will suffer as human beings and a society,” he said.

“If the ASG really believes that they represent the students on this issues, if they put this up for a vote to their entire membership, if all students are able to vote on whether they agree or disagree with this censure, if they can get a majority of students to agree

with this, (of the entire student body) I will resign my position as a professor here,” Finkenthal said. “This is how serious I am about this.”

At the March 12 Governing Board meeting, Sen. Thorp presented this information and announced the censure to the board of trustees. At the following, April 9, Governing Board meeting, Trustee John Halcon, spoke out against the ASG, saying that the censure of a faculty member by students is “completely unacceptable.”

He said he understands that some may be “annoyed” by Finkenthal’s actions and opinions, but doesn’t believe that his behavior is out of line.

Halcon referenced the American Association of University Professors’ (AAUP) statement regarding academic freedom and tenure.

“Regarding the censure,

the AAUP does authorize college presidents and administrators may censure faculty for violations of established rules and regulations...but not students,” he said.

At its April 1 meeting, Palomar’s Faculty Senate drafted a resolution against students “censuring” faculty members.

As stated in the minutes, the resolution read, “Resolved, that the Faculty Senate opposes the Associated Student Government’s practice of censure, and be it further resolved, that the Faculty Senate asks the Secretary of the Board of Trustees to keep the names of censured faculty members from becoming public in the posted minutes of the board.”

The resolution also said the ASG’s claims were “unsubstantial,” and that the ASG’s act of censure did not allow proper due process for the accused (Finkenthal).

Both Sen. Thorp and President Farmer said they have invited members of the Faculty Union to a meeting to discuss the matter, but said no one has accepted the invitation.” atesterman@the-telescope.com

sstf Continued from Page 13 She said student success is everyone’s responsibility and faculty and advisers need to work together to ensure students’ success.

If students can take advantage of the virtual counseling program, by the time they get in front of a live counselor, they’ll be able to spend that time more efficiently producing an education plan because of the knowledge they will gain having had the opportunity to review content online.

The development of basic skills-focused programs, such as a First Year Experience program, Summer Bridge and others, have been made possible as a result of Title V and Title III funding the college received to help students become aware of support services available to them to meet the individual needs of students who are either first time students or under prepared for college level courses.

Barton explained that the goal of Palomar’s basic skills programs is to allow students in remedial level courses to move at a more rapid pace so they can be placed into the college level courses they need to be transfer ready.

Cuaron said that to meet the recommendations of the SSTF, Palomar College’s resources will predominantly be focused back toward the “focused learner” who wishes to take general education requirements that will allow him or her to transfer to a four-year university or another program. hrandall@the-telescope.com

14 • SPORTS

Monday, May 6, 2013

Now is the time.

Pro Sports

NBA center becomes first openly gay professional athlete Former Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (12) goes around Atlanta Hawks’ Jason Collins (34) during Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday, April 24, 2011.•(Gary W. Green/ Orlando Sentinel/MCT Campus)

image: christy batta, m.f.a., graphic design, 2011, severna park, maryland

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The idea of an openly gay athlete in professional American sports, up until now, has been taboo, widely criticized and heavily debated; however, an unexpected admission of homosexuality from an active athlete has shaken the sports world.

Jason Collins, a 12-year veteran in the NBA, became the first openly gay professional athlete on April 29 after he publicly made the announcement in an essay for Sports Illustrated.

The announcement began with a short, but very powerful statement. “I’m a 34-year-old NBA Center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” This statement marks the first step toward tearing down homophobic barriers and developing a more understanding sports world.

Collins is currently a free agent, but finished out the regular season as a member of the Washington Wizards after he was traded midseason by the Boston Celtics.

Although many athletes have come out today, Collins will be the first athlete to do so prior to retiring.

“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn’t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, I’m different. If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand,” Collins said.

Through basketball, Collins was able to keep his reality as a gay man at bay because he used it as a tool of distraction; however, the 2011 NBA lockout forced him to confront his inner struggle.

“Why am I coming out now?

Well, I started thinking about this in 2011 during the NBA player lockout. I’m a creature of routine.

When the regular season ends I immediately dedicate myself to getting game ready for the opener of the next campaign in the fall.

But the lockout wreaked havoc on my habits and forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want.”

Collins wrote that he had dated women and even at one point became engaged because he believed he had to live the prototypical life to be accepted in society. “I thought I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I knew it was blue.”

The first relative Collins was able to come out to was his aunt who surprised him with her response. She claimed to have known he was gay for years; a reassuring statement that made him comfortable in his own skin.

David Stern, NBA Commissioner, issued a statement supporting Collins’ decision. “Jason has been widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue.”

This announcement has even drawn support from former President Bill Clinton. “Jason’s announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of LGBT community… I hope that everyone, particularly Jason’s colleagues in the NBA, the media and his fans extend to him their support and the respect he has earned.” sroberson@the-telescope.com @scottroberson55

SPORTS • 15

the telescope softball

Palomar women’s softball team rally together before a game against Southwestern College April 19 at Palomar College softball field. Palomar lost the game 5-4. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

Palomar softball wins individual awards on route to conference title Lloyd Bravo the telescope

After a slow start, Palomar went to have an astonishing season with a record of 25-11 along with winning its 31st conference championship.

Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC) Coach of the Year, Lacey Craft, assembled a wellrounded team with talents including Brenna Parker and pitcher of the year freshman Carlie Daniel in hopes of winning the California Community College Athletic Association championship (CCCAA).

Coach Craft spoke about the award saying, “We had a great coaching staff this season and I always view this award as a ‘Coaching Staff of the Year Award.’”

Craft went to describe the coaching success saying, “We had a lot to improve on at the end of last season to get to where we are now at the end of this year. Our

staff was able to motivate our girls and teach them all the aspects of the game so that we were more competitive this year.”

Daniel was voted Pitcher of the Year for having the lowest ERA (1.62) and throwing a shutout to every team in the conference at least once.

Daniel’s bat also got notoriety as she had the second highest average(.468), the most doubles (8), and no strikeouts in 47 at-bats.

Not to be outdone is Parker, who, as coach Craft described her was, “...the most dangerous hitter in our Conference.”

Parker hit for .463 having the most home runs in conference (7), and the most RBIs (26).

Parker excelled on the mound with a 2.08 ERA and her 31 strikeouts in 27 innings gave her a 7.94 strikeout per game average.

Both Parker and Daniel were selected to play for the All-SoCal Team.

The season started a little

rocky with a 5-4 win, barely edging out Fullerton, and then losing two straight to Mission Viejo and Palm Springs as the Comets where outscored 11-1.

However, Daniel was determined to make a name for herself and threw a one-hitter and hit 2 for 3 to beat Palm Springs 4-0.

This would culminate into an incredible winning streak, as Palomar would win 11 out of 12 and outscore its opponents 119-42.

Palomar was hitting the top of the barrel frequently as strong bats gave them the edge in every game.

Contributions came from the entire team, including Jasmine Vogel, Jaclyn Meester (voted 1st team all-conference), and Paige Falconieri (voted 2nd team allconference).

The Comets’ streak would end, as Palomar would face its biggest deficit of the season, as well as the first loss in conference, to El Cajon 0-8.

The season was far from over,

as the second half proved to be a bit of a struggle for Palomar.

After surging back from the loss from El Cajon with a fivegame wining streak, the Comets would fall short with a threegame losing streak, the biggest losing streak of the season for Palomar.

However, the Comets would only lose four more times and each by only one run.

Out of the 11 loses dealt to Palomar, only four had over two runs scored against the Comets.

Cooler heads would prevail as the focus stayed on the conference.

Key victories against last year’s champions, San Diego Mesa would help elevate the Comets, and they would finish out the conference 11-4 outscoring conference teams 103-25.

After tying with San Diego Mesa for the PCAC championship, the Comets could find more success in the CCCAA championship as playoff season comes to full ef-

fect.

“I am very happy that this team was able to improve throughout the season and win conference this year,” said Coach Craft.

The goal is to go to Super Regionals and have a chance to go to the State Tournament.

However, Coach Craft is looking toward next season, “As far as next season goes, we will have a talented freshman class returning as seasoned sophomores next year. But we have some big holes to fill with this year’s sophomore class that will be transferring.”

Next season aside, Palomar softball has exceeded expectations with talented players and coaching staff as the Comets look for a state championship.

The CCCAA championship first round will be held on May 4-5 as 4th seed Palomar hosts 13th seed Moorpark. lbravo@the-telescope.com

16 • SPORTS

Monday, May 6, 2013

baseball

Conference champs seeded 6th in tournament KAITY BERGQUIST THE TELESCOPE

Palomar catcher Becker Sankey stares down a pitch Feb. 13 at Myers Field. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

With a conference championship and a No. 6 seed in regionals, anything else for the Palomar baseball team would be a bonus.

The team finished the season 24-11, 21-4 in conference play. The season was highlighted by a 13-game winning streak, even though the team itself didn’t make a big deal about it.

“It was a month-long grind and the kids were good. We didn’t really talk about it much,” Head Coach Buck Taylor said. “I think a lot of us were repeating our routines daily.”

Players Anthony McIver and Becker Sankey said there were a lot of superstitions going on, including the annual Mustache March (which might carry over to a Mustache May).

“It worked,” McIver said. The team clinched the conference title April 20 in an 11-4 win over Imperial Valley with two games left in the season.

This is Taylor’s fifth title in eight seasons as head coach, and Palomar’s 15th title ever.

Grossmont took second place in the conference.

“We don’t talk about winning this or winning that,” Taylor said. “I think now we’re trying to tell our kids everything’s a bonus now.

You worked your tail off to win a conference championship, and now just relax and have fun and play baseball.”

Some of the top games for the Comets included a 23-1 rout of Imperial Valley College March 29.

The team played this game at the end of a three-game series with Imperial Valley after defeating them 11-5 in the first game and 11-4 in the second game.

Freshman Dillan Smith dominated at the

plate in the series finale, going 3-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run, a sacrifice fly, a walk, three runs scored, and four RBIs. The team had 20 hits total and held Imperial Valley to three hits over the entire game.

“You’d like to do it against a second place team and score 23 runs, but it was against a last place team,” Taylor said, citing the wind, dryness and field conditions as some factors of the victory.

Within in the winning streak, Palomar swept conference rivals Southwestern, Grossmont, Imperial Valley, San Diego Mesa and San Diego City consecutively.

Palomar ends the season with a 12-3 home record. Sophomore Chris Sanders led the team in batting average with a .369. He had 23 RBIs. Sophomore Nico Garbella led the team in RBIs with 29. McIver, Palomar’s top starting pitcher, finished the regular season with a 2.17 ERA over 12 appearances.

He ends with a record of 4-0 and led the team with 50 strikeouts. McIver had a 1.96 ERA in conference play.

Pitcher Zach Wilkins, whose brother Ryan was a former Palomar baseball player and is now pitching for North Carolina State, led the team in ERA with a 1.23 and was one save short of the school record for saves in a season with nine.

As of press time, Palomar was set to play Orange Coast for a best-of-three series starting May 3 in the first round of the playoffs.

“Everyone loves the game of baseball here. We earned it,” McIver said. “I’m hoping to go on an 11-game winning streak and get to state. I mean, we’ve already had a 13-game winning streak, so I think can another one going.”

KBERGQUIST@THE-TELESCOPE.COM @kaitybergquist

track and field

Track and field team prepares for regionals sydney davison the telescope

Megan Bourasa passes the baton to Abbie Corn in the 4 x 400 meter relay to place third. •Courtesy Hugh Cox

If you leave campus at a certain time, you might see a group of girls in multicolored running shoes running away from school. They yell and holler as they run down the street.

Since Palomar’s campus doesn’t have a proper track for the women to practice on, the 17 athletes run to the California State University of San Marcos campus.

While Palomar’s team is smaller than most of its competitors, the athletes don’t let it hinder their goals and spirit.

“Going over there (CSUSM) is definitely a hurdle, but our team morale stays up really well,” said Jennifer Williams, head coach for the Palomar Women’s track and field.

In the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference held April 20 at Cuyamaca College the team came in third place behind San Diego Mesa and Cuyamaca College.

“Overall we did really well,” Williams said. “We had a lot of improvement.”

The 400-meter relay team of Lucrezia Capano, Bianca Littleton, Cyndee Psalms, and Abigail Corn finished second in the conference with a personal record time of 49.5.

“We had been waiting for that result all season,” said Assistant Coach Keith

Bianca Littelton begins her race in the 400-meter.

She finished with a time of 58.1. • Hugh Cox

VanAsdalan he added that for the most part everybody on the squad had season personal records.

VanAsdalan also said that Littleton’s 400-meter race was one of the most notable of the meet with a personal-record time of 58.1. The first place race was a large achievement for Littleton.

“At the end of the race I got really emotional,” Littleton said. For her it was an adrenaline rush and something she

“had been yearning for,” she said.

Even though its lack of depth might be a problem for the team, Coach Williams and her athletes said they were very confident about going into the regional meet in Lancaster on May 4. Williams said that she is “looking for big stuff this weekend.”

Fourteen of the women qualified to compete in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Track and Field Regional meet.

Distance competitor Tori Dorsey, who made it to regionals in the 800-meter race, said she was really hopeful for regionals and grateful for the two weeks that the athletes had to get into the mindset of racing.

“We all want to improve our times and see improvement,” Dorsey said.

Teammate Sydney Ellis agreed.

“Throughout the season we all want to work harder,” Ellis, a distance runner in the 800 and 1500 meter said. “We all fight for the end.”

Even though the end is near, Williams is still positive and hopeful for the next year.

“I have a really young team, so hopefully they all stick around, ”Williams said. “[They] all learned a great deal and are all discovering that they can be competitive college athletes,“ Assistant Coach VanAsdalan said. sdavison@the-telescope.com