FACT CHECK.
But we’re a bunch of raw materials that don’t mean to be -- have any process upon us. Don’t mean to be made into any product! Don’t mean -- Don’t mean to end up being bought by some clients of the University, be they the government, be they industry, be they organized labor, be they anyone! We’re human beings! And that -- that brings me to the second mode of civil disobedience.There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart that you can’t take part! You can’t even passively take part! And you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus -- and you’ve got to make it stop! And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it -- that unless you’re free the machine will be prevented from working at all! That doesn’t mean that you have to break anything. One thousand people sitting down some place, not letting anybody by, not [letting] anything happen, can stop any machine, including this machine! And it will stop! --Mario Savio, “Sit-in Address on the Steps of Sproul Hall”, Berkeley, Calif., Dec. 2, 1964
What is Palomar’s administration really up to? pages 4 & 5
Also inside: A call to action, pg. 3 • Cigs & addiction, pg. 7 • Superman doesn’t soar, pg. 9
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|campus beat
Campus Calendar M onday , N ov . 8
• Flu Shots offered at the Health Service center will be free for students and $15 for staff. Call 760-744-1150, ext. 2380 or 8105 to make an appointment
T uesday , N ov . 9
• Exploring Darwin 2010 at 9:30 a.m. in the Governing Board Room SSC-1. Conference Nov. 9 and 10
W ednesday , N ov . 10
• ASG Meeting at 1 p.m. in SU-
201 • Coffee Night at 5 p.m. in the San Marcos Student Union • Grab & Go at 10 a.m. on the Student Union Upper Patio. Free snack with student activity card
T hursday , N ov . 11
• Concert Hour at 12:30 p.m. in the performance lab. Cello trios by Beethoven and Ravel performed by Anna Savvas on piano, Paivikki Nykter on violin and Cecilla Kim on cello. • Veterans Day observation at noon in the Student Union quad
S aturday , N ov . 13
• “The Truth about Bamboo! Planting Bamboo is not a Crime” workshop at 10 a.m. in NS-258
F riday , N ov . 19
• Talent show hosted by the Black Student Union and the Extreme Creative Talent Club at 6 p.m. in room D-6
THE TELESCOPE | monday, Nov. 8, 2010
Take a moment Nov. 11 to observe Veterans Day
Explore Darwin with Behavioral Sciences Dept.
Students and faculty are invited to the annual Veterans Day observance at noon in the Student Union Quad on Nov. 11. Palomar, veterans and what each means to the other is the event’s theme, according to Mark Minkler, veterans specialist. A small stage, podium and 60 chairs will be set up for the event and the pledge of allegiance will start it. A vocalist will sing the national anthem after the pledge. Veterans adviser Katherine Khaskin will open the observance with introductory remarks. President Robert Deegan is expected to follow with words on what veteran students mean to Palomar. A guest veteran student is expected to speak stating what Palomar means to him as a veteran. There will be a moment of silence for remembrance for former Palomar veteran student Daniel P. Cagle who was fatally wounded in Iraq 2007. Cagle was briefly enrolled at Palomar before joining the Army in November 2005. Cagle’s name will be added to the Veterans Memorial located on the San Marcos campus. Following the remembrance, the clock tower will chime 33 times in remembrance of each of the 33 veterans listed on the memorial. For more information contact Minkler at 760-744-1150, ext. 2175.
Seven speakers from colleges across the state will host presentations at Palomar Nov. 9 and 10 for an event hosted by the Behavioral Sciences Department. Exploring Darwin 2010 will emphasize the multidisciplinary explanatory power of Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection in the spirit of the mission of UCLA’s Center for Behavior, Evolution and Culture and David Wilson’s book, “Evolution for Everyone,” according to the Behavioral Sciences website. Presentations will go from 9:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. both days. Topics of discussion will range from “Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Economic Behavior” to “Is the Earth only 6-10,000 years old? The Science and Psuedo-Science of Dating Techniques.” Naomi Lowe, lecturer of Psychology at Palomar and California State University San Marcos, Phillip de Barros, professor of Anthropology at Palomar and Amy Parish, professor of Anthropology and Gender Studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and Moshe Hoffman, University of Chicago, Department of Economics professor are just a few of the scheduled presenters. The free event will be held in the Governing Board room, SSC-1. Contact Naomi Lowe in the Behavioral Sciences Department at nlowe@palomar.edu. or call 760-744-1150, ext. 5058.
Cancellation Project Walk has been cancelled on the 2010-2011 Student Activities calendar due to lack of participation. Instead, Hoop It Up will take its place, so bring your game! Contact Lindsay Koch at 760-744-1150, ext. 7509 for Hoop It Up information.
Stacey Prince| THE TELESCOPE
Palomar’s Arboretum is home to numerous varieties of bamboo shown above and below right.
Bamboo guru to host seminar Nov. 13 Ralph Evans, owner of local Vista and San Marcos stores Bamboo Headquarters, will explain why “planting bamboo is not a crime” in a one-time seminar titled “The Truth about Bamboo.” From 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 13 in room NS-258, students and community members will have an opportunity to learn about the benefits of including bamboo in their landscaping. Evans has the largest bamboo nursery in the nation, according to Tony Rangel, president of the Friends of the Arboretum. “The common assumption is that bamboo is invasive, that is entirely incorrect,” Rangel said.“An established clump can also be drought tolerant.” The difference between invasive and noninvasive bamboo will be addressed in the lecture as well as the proper selection of bamboo for landscaping or privacy screening, according to the Friends of the Arboretum website. For information on Bamboo Headquarters, go to bamboohq.com.
CAMPUS WEATHER Monday Tuesday Nov. 8
Nov. 9
Those interested can RSVP for the event by contacting Rangel at arangel@palomar.edu.
Wednesday Thursday Nov. 10
Nov. 11
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69°/50°
Blood Drive Health Services Center and The Fire Club will host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 15-19 in Parking Lot 11. Toy donations are asked for military children and young burn survivors. Contact Health Services at 760-7441150, ext. 2380 for more information. Stacey Prince| THE TELESCOPE
Friday Nov. 12
Saturday Nov. 13
Sunday Nov. 14
What’s up? Do you know something we don’t? Let us know. To submit story tips or events for the campus calendar, e-mail us at telescope@palomar.edu or call 760-891-7865.
69°/53° SUNNY
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Opinion|
monday, nov. 8, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE
Our viewpoint
Admins out of touch Something is wrong at Palomar. One part of the college machine isn’t in balance, and it’s throwing off the timing of all the others. That unbalanced piece is the administration. In its actions and its rhetoric, the administration has consistently shown it is disconnected from the needs of the student body, and that it prefers to stay that way. In this issue, The Telescope offered to the student body two in-depth examinations of this disconnect: college president Robert Deegan accepting a pay increase amidst repeated requests from his office for “austerity,” and the administration’s shuttering of the Associated Student Government. Both exposés belay the same problem: the administration is out of touch. The students understood the budget was tight this semester, and tenuously accepted that classes had to be cut in response. The faculty has willingly accepted deferment of contractually promises to help the college governing board and administration make it through these hard times. Why, then, did the college president accept a raise in pay and benefits amounting to five percent over the next year. Deegan has offered numerous justifications for this raise: his salary was low compared to local college presidents, he hoped to make his pay more competitive and his efforts at the college were deserving of recognition. Individually, these justifications are compelling. However, when considered in the context of an obvious budget crunch, they are woefully inadequate. And while Deegan has offered to defer this raise, the terms of that deferral are neither official nor well understood. Our system has a body in place to address such concerns and work to correct them: the ASG. The purpose of this body is to represent the will of the students, and attempt to enact that will within the bureaucratic system at the college. The ASG, however, has been stifled by the administration. As we report in this issue, the ASG senate, which
votes on all matters of importance to the organization, is mostly vacant.The committee that authorizes candidates for the senate is composed of three students, one administrator, and one staff member. This isn’t a full representation of our 33,000 students. The grey and white text on the front page isn’t gibberish. It’s from a speech by Mario Savio to a group of UC Berkeley activists who sought to fight against their administration’s attempt to silence the students. Savio said, “There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious — makes you so sick at heart — that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all.” We implore the students at Palomar to heed those words. Individually, our voices are easily ignored, but when united into a chorus of frustration and anger and desire for a change, we cannot be pushed aside. We cannot place the blame on the ASG, instead we must build upon them. Sherry Titus said the ASG can be the most powerful group at Palomar because it represents the largest group on campus. But first we must make sure they can represent us. This is a call to action. We implore you, be you a student, staff member or someone unaffiliated with the college: look around you. Be aware of the problems in the system. Read the newspapers, ask questions and demand to be heard. The first step to fix Palomar is for the students, the real constituents of the college, to speak up. Go to Deegan’s office and ask why he accepted that raise. Attend the ASG meeting and ask why there are only two senators out of a possible 14. The fact is, if we don’t demand the change, if we don’t ask the hard questions, nobody will. And that would mean a true failure of the system.
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Letter to Editor: To the students of Palomar: Hello, my name is Jorge Alvarado. You may not know me, but you may have seen me. Every day that I am on campus at some point during the day I lay down a flower for my friend at Palomar’s war memorial. Often, I think of his sacrifice, as well as the sacrifice of all the other men whose names are written there. As I stand before it, I am deeply saddened by the losses our country has endured. However, I am saddened even more by the apathy and lack of MELINA FICKAS | THE TELESCOPE respect I have seen students show in the presence of the war memorial. Jorge Alvarado places a flower in front of the Palomar College Veteran’s Memorial wall, Many times I have seen students located right in front of the Student Union, everyday to honor a friend on the memorial wall. smoke in front of the memorial, and leave cigarette butts on the ground dom. They were once brothers, hus- ate behavior and help keep its surin front of it, along with bottles and bands, fathers and friends. Sadly, to rounding area free of garbage. food wrappers. Worse yet is that of- many Palomar students, they are In doing so we honor the ones ten people will lean things against just names on a wall. whose names are written there for it — or lean on it themselves. I do not ask that you stop in front their sacrifice and ultimate sacriThe men whose names are writ- of the memorial as I do. All I ask is fice for our country. ten there, along with their families, that you join me in safeguarding — Jorge Alvarado, Palomar paid the ultimate price for our free- the war memorial from inappropriStudent
The delicate balance of video game addiction Eric Walker The Telescope
Quick, hide your children!There’s a terrifying addiction out to get you and your family. Or is there? The American Psychiatric Society has yet to classify it as addictive, but video game playing has many qualities in common with addictions such as drugs and gambling. I can already see any gamers reading this rolling their eyes and swearing they aren’t addicted. Humor me. Gaming addiction is real, but it’s not usually world-shatteringly bad. Recently, a mother in Jacksonville, Fla. killed her baby after its crying interrupted a rousing session of “FarmVille.” Experts like psychologist Michelle Goland have attributed this action to gaming addiction — it’s not always harmless.
Addiction can also have non-fatal consequences: Quinn Pitcock of the Seattle Seahawks gave up football temporarily for his gaming habit. But that’s not to say that gaming is a cocaine-like plague that should be eradicated. There is a middle ground. Gaming can be an addiction and needs to be viewed as such, but that can’t be taken too far. The science of addiction is rather complicated, but to put it simply, the sensation of pleasure comes from the release of dopamine. Known triggers include sexual activity, gambling, and yes, even video games. Obviously, drugs can be addictive. Some people even get addicted to exercise. Tune in to the radio and you’re bound to hear at least one commercial about gambling addiction. Nymphomania is certainly a real thing, and far more devastating
than the average frat-boy’s understanding of it. But while all of those get diagnosed and have public-service announcements, the only people attacking gamers are soccer moms and insane lawyers. When all of the opposition is crazy, it’s easy to overlook them and buy into the gamers’ “I swear it’s not addictive!” mantra. Remember that drug addictions lead to a cornucopia of health problems, nymphomania leads to STDs and broken marriages, but gaming, for the most part, only leads to sore thumbs from button-mashing. Even if it is harmless for most people, the addiction still exists. It’s important to remain mindful of the balance. Don’t just sit on your couch playing “Halo” all day — but don’t stage an intervention if your roommate does the same.
What’s your biggest complaint about Palomar?
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The fact that they are constantly doing construction is something that Palomar should change.
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Palomar is pretty good. School parking could be better though.
— Daniel Sin Clair, 21, Undecided
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— Jarina Gonbline, 18, Teaching
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It’s ridiculous how hard it is to get into classes.
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—Tyler Switzer, 23, Nursing
Focused on Palomar
Monday NOV. 8, 2010 Editor In Chief | Eric WALKER n ews / managing Editor | kelley foyt campus beat Editor | melissa caston Opinion Editor | yVONNE lanot arts & culture Editor | MELINA FICKAS in depth editor| belinda callin sports editor | matthew slagle Online Editor | daniel martin
Volume 64 Number 8
Managing editor/ ads | sara burBidge photo editor | deb hellman Multimedia Editor | loghan call Asst. Multimedia Editor | Graianne Ward asst. news Editors | sydnIE taylor, David leonard Instructional Asst. | Charles Steinman Journalism Adviser | Erin Hiro
The Telescope is published 11 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.
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It bothers me that they don’t stop people from smoking in non-designated areas.
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— Brendan Lund, 18, Economics
Address | The Telescope, Palomar College 1140 W. Mission Road, San Marcos, CA 92069 Newsroom | Room MB-1 Phone | (760) 891-7865 Fax | (760) 891-3401 E-Mail | telescope@palomar.edu Advertising e-Mail | telescopead@palomar.edu
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The book pricing is expensive And I don’t like that there’s no option in spiritual, it seems to slant toward more wordly options.
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— Sophia Zeno, 19, Undecided
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 can be e-mailed to telescope@ palomar.edu or delivered to the newsroom in Room MB-1. The Telescope reserves the right to edit letters for space and grammatical errors and not to print lewd or libelous letters. Letters must be receieved one week prior to the newspaper’s publication to be considered for inclusion.
Staff Writers | Casey Byrne , Ben Gross, Davon Hollis, Joseph Melson, Jarred Powell, Mark Saunders, Nick Shumate, Victoria Tran, Michael Treadway, Natalia Vasquez, Emilie Vurik, Chris Wafer Associated California Newspaper Staff Photographers | Layan Ammouri, Breanna Collegiate PRess Publishers Association Avella, Jennifer Bacon, Steven Balubar, Brak Blevins, Austin Castillo, Ian Chalmers, Laura Davis, Christina Dugdale, Rosa Galvin, Tina Hernandez, Doug Holstein, Christopher Kennedy, Reginald Legaspi, Rachel Martin, Rachel Munoz, Huy Nguyen, Mathew O’Neil, Christian California First Journalism Association Provano, Stacey Prince , Heather Skaggs, Kiigan Snaer, Amendment Coalition of Community Colleges Leslie Surek, Brian Tierne, Allyson Watson, Joshua Yepez
CFAC
4 | News
THE TELESCOPE | Monday, nov. 8, 2010
Our president’s price Controversy surrounds Palomar president’s raise, unions and staff alike concerned David leonard The Telescope
Palomar president Robert Deegan accepted an increase in pay and benefits in May 2010 after more than a year of rhetoric stressing the tightness of the college budget. The timing of the raise has brought scathing criticism from unions representing the college faculty and staff. The Palomar Faculty Federation and the Council of Classified Employees, which represents the faculty and classified staff members respectively, have expressed their concerns to the Governing Board, Deegan and The Telescope. Deegan contended that he is among the lowest-paid community college presidents in San Diego County, and that his increased salary and benefits package were negotiated to make his compensation more competitive and keep him at Palomar.
An offer to defer Deegan has offered to defer any additional payment from the new contract, in recognition of the tightness of the college budget. “I did not accept a penny in additional payment at this time,” Deegan said. The terms of the deferral were not made immediately clear, however. In a May 2010 email to Palomar Faculty and staff, Deegan wrote, “I am requesting that the Governing Board defer my salary step increases.” However, both Evilsizer and board Executive Assistant Josie Silva stated they had not seen any official documentation regarding the deferral. Deegan has offered no specific terms regarding the deferral to union groups or The Telescope. In response to questions, he said only that he would not be taking any additional payments until the college was in a better financial situation, and that he would take retroactive
pay when that time came. “I will be taking the increase in salary I received in the contract,” Deegan said. He added, “I did not want to be greedy, it wasn’t some outrageous contract.” Deegan did not make reference to whether or not he would accept additional cell phone or car allowances, and could not be reached for comment on the matter by press time.
A tight budget The primary concern, according to both groups, was that the raise came at a time when the administration was stressing the tightness of the budget. “We spent two years in budget cut mode. We were to the point where we were down to the bare bones. It was really hard on everybody,” PFF president Shayla Sivert said. Sivert, who took over the role of PFF president this fall, has been very vocal in her opposition to Deegan’s new contract. According to Sivert, the PFF had agreed to defer some “growth money,” an increase in pay the college agreed to pay the faculty in their contract, in 2009 on the grounds that the college was facing tough economic times. “(This fall), there was suddenly a $12 million ending fund balance,” Sivert said, expressing concern that the college “seems to manage its budget a little too well.” The classified staff has also expressed their concern at Deegan receiving a raise in a time of tight budgeting. “It boggles the mind that the governing board was willing to give it all away,” CCE president Neill Kovrig said. “(The money) could be used to increase classes, hire more faculty, hire in the classified unit.” While the classified staff has been paid according to the terms of its contract, a hiring freeze instituted due to budget problems has increased the workload of many staff members, according to Kovrig.
website. With Deegan’s original salary in the contract at $223,041.73, a 4.3 percent raise after one year would amount to an increase in pay of $9,590. “He is choosing the part of the matrix where increases are the greatest,” PFF negotiator Teresa Laughlin said. Deegan said he deserves such increases because he was never allowed to tie his pay to a step increase schedule for the six years he has worked at the college. “There were never any step increases in the first five years of contracts,” Deegan said. The contract also provides Deegan with a number of further benefits, including cell phone and car allowances, and lifetime health benefits for both himself and his wife. The PFF and CCE have questioned the reasoning behind offering Deegan lifetime health benefits when he has only worked at the college for six years. “If you were hired before 1994, and you work at Palomar for more than 20 years, you get lifetime benefits,” Sivert said. — Teresa Laughlin She added that faculty memPFF negotiator bers are no longer afforded such benefits if they were hired more recently than 1994. Deegan explained that the lifeTerms of the contract time health benefits were provided The PFF has expressed confu- to him in recognition of his 30 years sion over the nature of Deegan’s pay of service in the California comincrease, as defined in the contract. munity college system, six of which The contract allows Deegan to were at Palomar. “What I negotiated was for begin taking “step” increases in salary, or increases based upon the someone who has worked at the amount of time an individual is em- college for 30 years,” Deegan said. ployed at the college, equivalent to “This is my 31st year in community those of a first-year faculty mem- colleges.” Kovrig expressed frustration ber. with this standard. According to Sivert, pay increas“We don’t get to carry that es at this new staff “step” level are much larger than at other, higher around with us,” Kovrig said. “Except for Deegan.” levels on the faculty pay schedule. Evilsizer said the board would The pay increase for the first not offer faculty and staff who had year would amount to 4.3 percent, been in the community college sysaccording to numbers listed in a faculty salary schedule made available tem at large for more than 20 years on the Palomar Human Resources the same lifetime health benefits if “The extra work gets put onto the backs of everyone else,” Kovrig said. The Palomar Governing Board offered Deegan the raise because they wanted to ensure he wouldn’t leave Palomar, according to board Vice President Mark Evilsizer. “We want to keep (Deegan). We support our president,” Evilsizer said. Deegan would not directly answer questions about whether he would have left Palomar if not for the raise in salary and benefits. “I’m very happy at Palomar College,” Deegan said. “My intent in negotiations was to stay at the college.”
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We aren’t all in this together. Here we are in a sinking ship, and (Deegan) took the only lifeboat.
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reginald legaspi | THE TELESCOPE
President Robert Deegan has come under scrutiny from faculty and staff members after accepting a raise despite insisting that the tight budget warranted austerity.
they requested them. “That’s a negotiated item, so no,” he said.
Comparing the numbers Deegan has said one of the reasons he took the pay increase was because it was a way to make his salary more competitive, and keep it in line with the salaries of community college executive administrators. An analysis of presidents’ salaries in other single-college community districts with similar enrollments to Palomar has shown Deegan’s current $223,041.73 pay is not currently dissimilar from that of his peers. The president of El Camino Community College District, which has similar enrollment and staff numbers to Palomar, made $276,905 in 2010, according to a survey by the Association of California Community College Administrators. The president of Pasadena Community College District made $195,000, and the president Long Beach Community College District made $235,040 in the same year according to the same ACCCA survey. Deegan’s pay is not, however, substantially lower than that of other community college executives in similar districts. According to numbers compiled by the PFF from the April 2008 governing board meeting minutes, Deegan is the fifth highest compensated president of the Gooder Colleges, a group of colleges that are similar to Palomar in composition and budget.
‘Out of touch’ In general, the staff groups explained that their issue was not with the increase specifically, but with its handling and timing. “It’s not the money, it’s not the pay, it’s timing and the fact that it seemed pretty disrespectful,” Laughlin said. “We aren’t all in this together. Here we are in a sinking ship, and (Deegan) took the only lifeboat.” Kovrig echoed these sentiments. “The timing was atrociously bad,” he said. “It was almost insulting in a way.” The PFF representatives, both current and former, expressed exasperation that the increase in pays and benefits was offered while the faculty was facing extremely tight budgeting. “The administration as a whole is basically out of touch with what’s going on in the classroom and on the ground,” former PFF president Shannon Lienhart said. Deegan said he felt that the pay increase was not unreasonable or untoward, and that he understood the precarious state of the budget. Both Deegan and Evilsizer said the changes were put through at the end of the Spring 2010 semester because Deegan’s contract was on an annual review cycle. “It was a regularly scheduled annual review,” Evilsizer said. “My contract was going to expire, and was renegotiated for one year,” Deegan said. Representatives of the PFF and CCE said this wasn’t a justification for raising Deegan’s pay. “(The executive administration) was sounding the death knell of the budget,” Kovrig said. “The run around is getting old. It’s wearing on morale.”
NEWS | 5
Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE
The Associated Student Government is down to only two senators (Cassandra Padilla and Juan Sanchez, right) and its president and vice-president (Channing Shattuck and Evelyn Lucero, left). The remaining twelve senate seats remain empty, and student Javier Tovar was denied the opportunity to become a senator.
laura davis | THE TELESCOPE
Student gov’t membership has students, faculty worried daniel martin The Telescope
Students and faculty said last week that they are concerned about how the Associated Student Government appoints its members. At the beginning of the semester, there were three senators, Cassandra Padilla, Juan Sanchez, and August Williams, leaving 11 open seats. Six students applied and none were appointed. Williams resigned on Oct. 18. Williams said he left because he felt it was unfair to have one fourth of the vote for the students at Palomar. This leaves 12 open senate seats in the ASG currently. By this time last year, at least 10 of the seats were filled. According to Sherry Titus, the director of Student Affairs and the adviser to the ASG, the year usually starts out with a smaller board, because most senators graduate or transfer. ASG officials maintain they are being picky in their selection for the good of the board, critics counter that they are playing politics and keeping out those who might have dissenting voices. Titus said the reason for such few
applicants is because Palomar does not have on-campus housing and many students commute. Another reason she mentioned was that most students don’t stay at Palomar for very long. As a two year school, most students transfer or graduate from Palomar after two or three years. Of the six applicants for senator positions, five were appointed as delegates. The delegate requirements are more lenient than for a senator but comes with less responsibilities. Notably, they cannot vote on board decisions. The remaining ASG senator applicant, Javier Tovar, was denied any role in ASG. Tovar, who is an active member of Encuentros, a nonprofit designed to help Latino males get into college, and an avid student activist, said he feels he was unjustly denied. “I made it clear to them that I made their minimum requirements,” Tovar said. These requirements include the availability to have three scheduled office hours, to attend the ASG meetings every Wednesday and maintain a GPA of 2.5. According to Article V Section 05.01.091 of the ASG bylaws, “Vacancies among the 14 senator posi-
tions will be filled as they become available from the list of qualified applicants for the position.” When asked about Tovar, members of ASG stated that even with the student’s permission, they can’t disclose the reasoning behind his denied appointment. Channing Shattuck, the ASG president, stated that due to the results of Tovar’s application, he somehow did not meet the requirements. The appointment committee decides who gets to be a senator. The committee consists of the ASG President, the Vice-President, an ASG senator appointed to the board, the Director of Student Affairs, and the Coordinator of Student Activities. Physics professor Daniel Finkenthal said the problem lies outside of the students in ASG. His belief is that the administration has been known to isolate and exclude anyone who “colors outside the line.” “It makes no sense that a committee of officers can pick the senators that are by the very definition representatives of the students, and not of the ASG. The result is that you get a monotonous senate that lacks any diversity and all credibility,” Finkenthal said. Williams said he is also con-
cerned with the procedures ASG takes to appoint senators. “If you have three people that can constantly push votes, people can have their own agendas pushed,” Williams said. He also clarified that this is not an accusation, but a fear of what could happen. Titus said she makes sure that this kind of thing does not happen. As adviser to ASG, one of her duties is to make sure the students in ASG act fairly on the board. She makes sure they keep their integrity when on the appointment committee. Senator Juan Sanchez is on the appointment committee, and said it is unfortunate there are fewer senators this year, but wants to make sure hard working students with good leadership skills will join. “There is no room for a weak link,” Sanchez said. According to Padilla, even though there was a full senate last year, only five of the senators did anything substantial. Sanchez confirmed this, and said that he wants a full senate, but he does not want senators who won’t do anything. ASG holds a public meeting every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in SU-204.
For our take on these two topics, see our editorial on page 3.
joseph bonnet | THE TELESCOPE
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|In Depth
THE TELESCOPE | Monday, Nov. 8, 2010
Quitting a best friend When cigarettes are more than an addiction according to the website about.com. A study that measured nicotine dependence, stress and coping methods found smokers were sigQuitting smoking is nificantly more likely to report smoking more cigamore than just a habit to rettes per day while trying to quit. They also reported greater levels of perceived many smokers, to some it is stress and less use of cognitive coping methods more like quitting a friend. Smoking harms nearly ev- than quitters or non-smokers, according to John J. ery major organ of the body, Koval and Linda L. Pederson from the University of often in profound ways, caus- Western Ontario. Jane said she did it for “some peace and fucking ing many diseases and significantly diminishing the health of quiet.” The Preston definition of addiction is “being absmokers in general, according normally tolerant to and dependent on something to the Surgeon General. that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, But try to tell that to Jane. “My lip was fat and bleed- (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs).” Tobacco use primarily begins in early adolesing, it was awkward holding the cigarette in my mouth and it took cence, typically by age 16. Almost all first use occurs me a few seconds to actually get it before high school graduation and 20 percent of lit. My hands were shaking and my American teens smoke. Despite the knowledge that it is addictive and fingers were wet from crying and rubbing my eyes. I remember it leads to disease, six million teens in the U.S. smoke, was cold and I really didn’t know according to smoking-facts.net. Jane quit smoking 17 years where I was. I had ago and she quit her abusive just gotten out of boyfriend at the same time. the car and took People who haven’t “There is never a day when off,” Jane said. you are going to wake up and Jane, who didn’t never have a bad day again,” want her real name ever smoked will Jane said. “I realized that there in print, had her lip never understand was never going to be that just busted by her boyperfect day I should quit smokfriend that night. This what a cigarette is, ing.” was an ongoing thing what it means. But for Jane the most noted for her. — “Jane” benefit to her recovery was her “People who haven’t feeling of self worth. “It’s the ever smoked will never understand what a cigarette is, what it hardest thing I have ever done, but it’s also one of the most rewarding,” Jane said. means,” Jane said. The American Cancer society cited the emoJane called it “a friend, something that was there when a comforting hand couldn’t tional benefits from quitting smoking is a feeling of increased self control, increased happiness and be found.” She never mentioned how much damage she positive change in self image. Jane said when she thinks back to that dark was doing to herself. There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world today, time in her life she “can’t believe (I) stuck around and if current trends continue, that number is ex- in such a horrible, abusive relationship, both my expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2025, boyfriend and smoking.” nick Shumate The Telescope
“
”
Where to start quitting • neversmokeagain.com • quitsmokingtips.org • quit4good.com • quitassist.com • smokefree.gov • whyquit.com
What happens to your body should you decide to quit
72 hours
after quitting, your entire body will test 100 percent nicotine-free and over 90 percent of all nicotine metabolites will have passed from the body via your urine. Symptoms of chemical withdrawal have peaked in intensity, including restlessness. Lung bronchial tubes leading to air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to relax in recovering smokers. Breathing is becoming easier and the lungs functional abilities are starting to increase, according to whyquit.com.
10 days
after ceasing to smoke the average ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day, each less than 3 minutes and recovery has likely progressed to the point where your addiction is no longer doing the talking. Blood circulation in the gums and teeth are now similar to that of a non-user.
2-4 weeks
after the last cigarette, cessation related symptoms: anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness and depression have ended.
1 year
of not smoking reduces excess risk of coronary heart disease to less than half that of a smoker. As the human body starts to recover, the most noticeable changes smokers experience is the intensity of taste and smell. Increased energy is also on the list.
Photo illustration by Steven Balubar and Deb Hellman| THE TELESCOPE
In Depth| 7
Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE
W HO ARE YOU ?
Personality tests can help pick a career path
By the letters: ISTJ: Quiet and serious. Decide logically what
Natalia Vasquez The Telescope
A
ttending college is the first step to finding a career, and personality tests like the MeyersBriggs Type Indicator direct students further, according to Career Center counselors. “A key factor for students is to take some career assessment,” career center coordinator Eddie Tubbs said, “and not just the MeyersBriggs.” At Palomar, the Meyers-Briggs personality test is one part of a foursession course where students work with counselors to find their bestsuited career path. Tubbs suggested students take the free personality tests offered in the career center called Eureka and Please Understand Me. The course, Counseling 165 Career Search, is one unit and can be taken online or in person. Counseling 165 is a better option for students than just taking the Meyers-Briggs personality test on their own because it includes follow up with career counselors, according to Tubbs. The course also teaches interview skills, resume writing and a full analysis of personality test results. The Meyers-Briggs personality test results are 10 pages long, and can be cumbersome to individuals who haven’t been trained to decode the complex content. Student Nathan Scott is currently enrolled in the course and would recommend it to students searching for a career path. “We’ve been to the career center and the textbook walks you through different career options,” said Scott, who is currently deciding between pharmaceutical and pharmacy sales. Isabel Briggs Meyers and Katharine Briggs developed the report over 60 years ago. The motherdaughter team researched personality types through biographies and field research, according to the Center for Applications of Psychological Types website . Their works were based on the in-depth observations of Carl Jung, who released the English translation of his book “Psychological Types” in 1923. Briggs’ original findings were an analysis of Jung’s works, who believed the subconscious was an indication of human behavior. Jung believed that one could analyze his/her subconscious to define other behaviors and control these behaviors through therapy appealing to the artistic side of the brain. The test can help students because it gets deep into the subconscious to examine behaviors that would please the individual and environments the individual may thrive in. The test breaks down personality types into a combination of eight traits: extraversion or introversion, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling and judgment or perception. The test taker isn’t just one or
Photo Illustration by Huy Nguyen | THE TELESCOPE
the other, Meyers-Briggs breaks down the tendency toward one trait over the other which identifies your preferred work tasks and work environment. The test doesn’t just generate career choice, but a variety of career choices personality traits tend toward. The tests provide the full range of careers, ranked from most to least attractive. Diana Anguiano, a computer science major, didn’t take the MeyersBriggs personality test but a different personality test. “They asked about my hobbies and ‘would you rather’ questions, and it helped me decide on my major,” Anguiano said. “It boosted my motivation to go for it.” Anguiano said the personality test focused her decisions on a career choice. She realized she was
What’s your type? Find out at myersbriggs.org always using computers and the test pointed to strengths in the computer science field. In Counseling 165, the test results are analyzed beyond just hobbies and personality strengths. Tubbs said the course, if taken outside of Palomar, would cost more than $100 because of the in-depth career counseling provided.
should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions. ISFJ: Thorough, painstaking, and accurate. Strive to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home. INFJ: Conscientious and committed. Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. INTJ: Skeptical and independent. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. ISTP: Tolerant and flexible. Interested in cause and effect, organize facts using logical principles, value efficiency. ISFP: Quiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Like to have their own space and to work within their own time frame. INFP: Curious, quick, idealistic and loyal. Seek to understand people and to help them fulfill their potential. INTP: Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable. Seek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them. ESTP: Flexible, spontaneous and tolerant. Theories and conceptual explanations bore them; they want to act energetically to solve problems. ESFP: Outgoing, friendly, and accepting. Lovers of life, people, and material comforts. ENFP: Warmly enthusiastic, imaginative and flexible. See life as full of possibilities. ENTP: Quick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, and outspoken. Resourceful in solving new and challenging problems. ESTJ: Practical, realistic and matter-of-fact. Organizes projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most efficient way possible. ESFJ: Warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative. Want harmony in their environment and work with determination to establish it. ENFJ: Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Finds potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. ENTJ: Frank and decisive. Usually well informed, well-read, enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. *according to meyersbriggs.org
8
|Arts & Culture
THE TELESCOPE |Monday, nov. 8, 2010
New Fashion Club president takes reins Yvonne lanot The Telescope
Rachel Munoz | THE TELESCOPE
Fashion Club President Sayra Gonzalez decided to get into the fashion world after she realized how much she loved fashion from altering and fixing her own clothes.
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After the last president of Palomar’s Fashion Club suddenly left for Milan, one fashion design student decided to step up when no one else wanted to. Sayra Gonzalez, 20, took on the leadership role. After taking over, she said she wanted to portray the club in a certain way. “Our club is nothing strict, it’s like a bunch of people hanging out,” Gonzalez said. “We also want to break the stereotype that we’re typically stuck up. We’re here to invite everybody. Bringing people in and accepting who we are.” Gonzalez, at first, didn’t see fashion as anything she wanted to do for the rest of her life. “I actually fell into fashion by accident,” Gonzalez said. “I would sew clothes of mine that would have snags and such. I always liked being different and then I just suddenly fell in love with fashion.” Describing her style as punk edge with an ethnic feel, Gonzalez said she wants to take her fashion knowledge and get a job traveling and predicting fashion trends. “There are so many really cool areas in fashion,” Gonzalez said. “But I would like to do trend forecasting, which is trying to figure out fashions that people will wear in three or five years. It also gives people an opportunity to travel, which is what I really want to do.” Gonzalez is working on her associate degree in fashion design as well as getting a certificate in business, which she wants to use to later own a store. “My business plan is to own my own store,” Gonzalez said. “I want to make it a very different kind of store. I want my clothes to be recycled fashion, which means taking a garment and making things like pants into a jacket or taking a piece of one gar-
ment and putting it into another. I want to help the environment in this way, by recycling clothing.” Sarah Perez, 19, a Fashion Club member, said she likes Gonzalez being the president. “She has been really kind from the beginning,” Perez said. “She’s been so warm and kind to everyone. When we first met, we really clicked.” With not much knowledge of being the Fashion Club leader, Gonzalez said she found a way to manage everything, with help from other club members. “At first I didn’t know really know what I was doing,” Gonzalez said. “But I’ve seen myself grow as a leader. Everyone in the club has been very supportive and really positive, as well as very encouraging.” Perez said Gonzalez is good for the club. “Being president, she’s really nice and organized,” Perez said. “She’s very put together and gives people chances.” After taking on this leadership role, Gonzalez said she finally has seen an improvement in the club, as well as in herself. “Being the president of Fa s h i o n Club has given me the guts to try new things for not only me, but as well as the club,” Gonzalez said. “It has helped me grow as a leader. Also in having the confidence in leading a group.” For more information, visit the club’s website at palomarfashionclub.weebly.com. Kelley Foyt | THE TELESCOPE
New ‘do’s to try out this season Melissa Magsaysay MCT Campus
Fall’s hottest hairstyles include perfect and polished 1950s ponytails and pixie cuts inspired by Mia Farrow’s late-1960s crop. The trendiest styles from fashion runways and the red carpet are pulled up, swept to the side or simply chopped off. Plenty of young celebrities have cut off their hair for a 1960sinspired gamine look that is evocative of Mia Farrow’s in “Rosemary’s Baby.” Celebrities including Emma Watson, Carey Mulligan, Hayden Panettiere, Michelle Williams and, most recently, Ashlee SimpsonWentz have chopped their once long, extension-filled and over-processed Hollywood hair to show off pretty faces and delicate features. Perhaps they are trying to drive the idea home that they are serious actresses, not to be lumped in with the 15-minutes-of-fame reality stars. (In Simpson-Wentz’s case, it could be that her hair was fried from the black to red to platinum dye jobs she’s been juggling the last few years.) Either way, cutting their hair so short is a gutsy move that sets them apart from the pack of over-styled starlets. This style seems to rule with
leading ladies, as well as with tweens and twentysomethings who love Audrey Hepburn’s hair in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Salma Hayek and Molly Sims have been spotted recently with their hair piled up on the tops of their heads and coiled around like a dollop of whipped cream. The look is reminiscent of the 1960s and shows off a pretty face and high cheekbones. The Urban Outfitters set is also sporting this look, but in an edgier way, with hair on the sides slicked up against the head and the knot a bit tighter and more twisted than the coif that’s been seen on the red carpet. The style is likely to stick around for spring: Frederic Fekkai stylist Renato Campora gave models at the Marchesa spring 2011 runway show in September a tight, braided topknot that sat toward the front of the head. To get this look, Campora applied a rich styling cream called Fekkai Essential Shea Tame & Style Pot de Creme. He flipped the head over so the hair fell toward the top, braided the hair, wound it around and then secured it to the crown of the head. Another pulled-back look seen on the runway is the perky and flirty “Barbie-esque” ponytail like the kind that appeared in Louis
Vuitton’s fall 2010 fashion shows. The hair perfectly complemented the collection’s full, below-the-knee skirts and heels. The key to this chic ponytail versus your running-errands-on-aSunday-afternoon pony is the sleek front and the flip at the ends. This may take more time to style than you’re used to, but the look adds some sweetness to fall’s cashmere sweaters and a “Mad Men” quality to holiday party dresses. A style that started on the runways of designers such as Alexander Wang and Miu Miu when they showed their collections for spring 2010 seems to be sticking around with no signs of stopping. The loose and slightly disheveled side braid is being worn casually as well as with cocktail dresses on the red carpet. Actress Kate Mara recently paired a side-swept fish-tail braid with a pink one-shoulder cocktail frock at the 2010 Teen Vogue Young Hollywood party. On the street, stylish girls seem to be taking their cues from celebrities such as Mara and Kate Bosworth by finessing their hair into side-swept braids. If you’ve mastered the style, keep wearing it past fall. The side braid works perfectly with spring 2011’s 1970s-inspired collections.
Arts & Culture| 9
Monday, nov. 8, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE
Superman packs no punch mark saunders The Telescope
While filmmaker Davis Guggenheim waits for Superman, teachers’ unions are being treated like kryptonite. But Palomar officials said last week that the film’s message does not reflect life in higher education. The director behind the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” and the television series “24” investigates the troubled inner-city educational system of New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., in the film “Waiting for ‘Superman.’”The film follows the paths of five children who end up participating in lottery drawings for the opportunity to avoid public schools and attend charter schools. The ideals audiences are often presented with is that inner-city public schools are “drop-out factories” and teachers’ unions hinder productive change in these failing institutions by protecting underachieving educators. “People will always address one issue,” said Teresa Laughlin, Chairwoman of Palomar Faculty Federation negotiations. “If a school is failing, it has got to be the teachers. Then it is the unions.” “I’m not apologizing for meritocracy. There are probably some poor teachers out there,” she added. Astronomy major Richard Knesebch agreed. “It (student success) depends on the teacher,” said Knesebch “I’ve seen some really good teachers and I’ve seen some bad ones.” When teachers were not unionized, it allowed for capricious firing of teachers and no methods to defend oneself, according to Laughlin. College-level and elementary-level unions are different, but all levels work to protect standards agreed upon in contracts by both teachers and administrations. “Contracts are not forced on anyone at all,” Laughlin said. “Both parties (teachers and administration) have to sign on. It’s protection for both. All the union does is allow due process for teachers. Teachers with tenure can be fired.” “Superman” also touts
Finland for the country’s educational system, high test scores and highly paid teachers.This leads Guggenheim to portray Finland as an education icon. “You know in Finland, teachers are unionized,” Laughlin said. “They also have tenure. In reality, most students in this country (U.S.) receive a decent, good education.” Standardized testing have been the blamed for many poor depictions of a teacher’s value. Teachers are forced to teach to a test instead of implementing real-world applications into lessons, according to Laughlin. This causes the popular trend of memorizing facts now to forget them later. One student said he believes standardized testing has proved to be unhelpful. “I feel like I wasn’t prepared for college,” said Jonathan Kueneman, a first-year student. “Standardized test did not prepare me.” Another student said he believes the tests serve a different purpose. “I just think it’s a good way for schools to make money,” said Daniel Repholz, a first-year student. “But the state has standards for my psych class so I guess we need to know what’s coming on the test.” Instead of gauging a teacher’s effectiveness by how they’re teaching, standardized tests rate a teacher on how well students are able to learn. This places the ability to practice and retain coursework solely in a student’s hands. “I think if you ask any teacher on campus they will say they don’t like standardized tests,” Laughlin said. When teachers are evaluated as performing below expected standards, the administration can confront them on breaching the agreed-upon contract. Unions make sure that there is justified accusation and the accused party has a fair voice in the matter. “It’s a really difficult environment to be a teacher,” Laughlin said. “I don’t know who is going to go into it. It (teaching) used to be a really respectable job. It makes me sad.”
Student introduces new hobby at Palomar mark saunders The Telescope
Tightrope walkers utilize an unyielding steel cable to perform their death-defying acrobatics. Now replace the steel cable with nylon rope and allow that once unyielding line to wobble freely. This is called slacklining and it has one Palomar student hooked and practicing in front of Palomar. Dave Prochazka is a Navy veteran and disc jockey for two radio programs at KKSM, Palomar’s student-operated radio station. Like many other students, he attends class regularly in addition to his radio hosting responsibilities. However, a few days a week, Prochazka runs a nylon rope between trees in front of the Palomar Transit Center and practices the art of slacklining. “Really it’s all about having fun,” Prochazka said. “People have forgotten how to play. You can have fun and get physically fit at the same time.” Prochazka said that he is very interested in starting a slacklining club and getting more people interested in the sport.
Slacklining started in the mid-1970s by rock and the tree trunk. climbers at Yosemite National Park in Utah. “Anyone can build one (a line) if they want Left with to,” Procdown time hazka between s a i d . climbs, “Mine climbers is just would keep m a d e in shape by from a rigging lowbasic lying lines to harness walk across, and pulaccording to ley sysgibbonslicktem.” lines.com. SlackProchazlining ka uses one has regto two-inchularly thick nylon brought cords and athletes carabiners together Melina Fickas | THE TELESCOPE to secure his for comline to trees Prochazka balancing on the nylon rope tied in front of the bus stop at Palomar. petitions or any static a n d object that showcan be used. Some people who have passed by cases where they preform tricks. The Ouray him said they fear for the health of the trees Ice Festival has been held every January since he uses so he puts a cloth in btween the rope 1996 and Gibbon Slacklines hosts interna-
tional events to spread interest in slacklining and highlining, slacklining from tremendous heights. Highlining is not for those afraid of heights. In this sense, slacklining offers the same experience at a lower height. “There are guys who do flips and crazy tricks,” Prochazka said. “The sport has always been around. There are 20-to-30 year vets out there.” Prochazka said he attributes his introduction to the sport to his neighbor, who is also a slackliner. “My neighbor is this real eclectic dude,” Prochazka said. “I saw him doing this stuff (slacklining). So I went out with my friends and we loved it.” After months of slacklining, Prochazka said his agility and balance have increased greatly. Slackliners are constantly using their legs, hips and abdominal to balance and move. “Once you’re walking, every time on the line you’re getting better. You’re learning how to balance better,” Prochazka said. Anyone interested in helping form a campus club or learning more about slacklining is encouraged to email Prochazka at davepkksm@gmail.com.
10 |In depth
THE TELESCOPE | Monday, nov. 8, 2010
Is taking prescriptions drugs as ‘study aids’ in college cheating? Kathleen megan mct campus
To Bradley Spahn, it seemed like a clear case of cheating. The Wesleyan University student was assigned a 24-hour takehome exam. Later, he said, nearly half the class would admit to taking so-called “study drugs” — medications like Ritalin or Adderall — to help them focus during the exam. They either took the drugs without a prescription or took more than the prescribed dose. “It seemed pretty obvious that taking illegal drugs to help you do better on an exam is cheating,” said Spahn, now a senior. “I think it is just as serious as plagiarism.” The incident spurred Spahn to expand an effort he already had begun: trying to getting the university to classify the abuse of “study drugs” — usually stimulants prescribed for attentional disorders — as cheating. During the 2008-09 academic year, Wesleyan’s honor code review committee took up the matter but decided not to include study drugs. But the university’s non-academic code of conduct covers the abuse of prescription drugs — along with alcohol and drug abuse. While all universities are concerned about the abuse of prescription drugs as a health and legal issue, questions about fairness and cheating are seldom raised, as they were at Wesleyan. Benedict Bernstein,a 2009 graduate of Wesleyan who as chairman of the academic affairs committee was present at the honor code review meetings, said he could not disclose the discussion but said he did not support the inclusion of study drugs in the code. “I didn’t feel that it could be prosecuted,” he said. A college might be able to prove
that a student was in possession of “study drugs,” but he said it would be very difficult to prove that the drugs were used to prepare a particular paper or for a test. And then, he said, there would be more questions raised: Would it violate the honor code if a student found he or she could study more effectively while under the influence of marijuana? A statement from Michael Whaley, vice president of student affairs at Wesleyan, said the university does not “condone any form of illicit drug use” and that there is “no reason to believe that the misuse of prescription drugs has increased at Wesleyan, but national survey data seems to indicate that such misuse is becoming a concern nationally.” The medications in question — Ritalin, Adderall and others — are stimulants that are generally prescribed for children and adults who have attentional disorders. As the numbers of children diagnosed with attentional disorders has multiplied in the past couple decades, so too has the availability of the drugs, whether among high school students or on college campuses. For someone with a disorder, the drugs work to help the person focus and maintain concentration. But people without the disorder also experience an increase in energy and focus, so students seek it out, particularly during midterm and exam periods. Yitfrah Kaminer, a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, said studies show that 4 to 8 percent of college students use such stimulants regularly, getting them without prescriptions. He said that between 10 and 16 percent of young people who are medicated for attention deficit disorder share or sell their pills.
Kaminer said the drugs definitely can improve concentration and focus in people who do not have any attentional disorder. At Wesleyan, Spahn said he has noticed that it tends to be top students who seek out the medications because they are concerned about performing well. David Callahan, the author of “The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead,” said he doesn’t think taking study drugs “qualifies as cheating in the way that cheating has been traditionally defined.” He said he understands “the sentiment that a study drug gives advantages to some students.” But, he said, “if you find a way to study more effectively, to master more information ... one can make an argument that to the degree study drugs allow people to put more information in their brain or master a more complex idea, what’s wrong with that?” Even if the drugs are illegally obtained? “I guess that’s a different issue,” Callahan said. “That’s an issue about drug abuse.” A student who attends UConn at the Waterbury campus said his roommate has a prescription for Adderall and lets him have a pill when he needs one to get his work done. The student, whose name the Hartford Courant is not using because he is using the drug illegally, said, “You can interpret it as cheating if you are talking about academic integrity,” he said. But he said he doesn’t see it as cheating because he is so busy — working full time and going to college full time — that he otherwise would be unable to succeed. He said it helps him to do the work needed to pass his classes: “It can make the difference between a B and an A on a paper.”
Sports| 11
Monday, nov. 8, 2010 | THE TELESCOPE
Worthington reaches for success
XfirstXXlastX | THE TELESCOPE
Palomar sophomore P.J. Worthington goes for the ball against a Grossmont player in a game on Oct. 28 in the Wallace Memorial Pool. Palomar won the game 13-11. MARK SAUNDERS The Telescope
In a day and age when sports have become riddled with steroids and salary grievances, it’s promising to meet an athlete built on pure love for the game. Sophomore P.J.Worthington plays hole set on the men’s water polo team. Hole set is the equivalent of a center in basketball terms. Originally from California, Worthington moved to Chicago in 1992 before returning to California in 1999. Along the way he played hockey and basketball as well as water polo. “In basketball I noticed a lot of
similarities with water polo,” Worthington said. “Hockey is pretty rough just like polo is. But water polo has definitely become my sport.” “P.J. is a long kid,” said Coach Brian Boynton. “Once he gets his hand on the ball there’s so much he can do. He can shoot or draw in players to feed the ball out. He has excellent ball presence.” Worthington’s teammates said he is an excellent team player. “He never has anything negative to say,” said Sean Cope, the second leading scorer on the team. “Player wise, he’s very unselfish. (He is) a great team player.” Teamwise, Worthington said that there was difficulty getting the team
Deb hellman | THE TELESCOPE
body here is just for themselves.” Worthington said he spent his first year at Palomar coaching water polo at his high school, Great Oaks High in Temecula. After that season, however, he said he felt he needed to play again. “I just love the game,” Worthington said. “I love anything competitive.” Days before an upcoming game, Worthington said he visualizes every aspect of his play style and the match up itself. “I get a lot more nervous (before the game),” Worthington said. “If I’m nervous I feel I’ll do well. If I’m not then I don’t know what to expect.” “He’s a great set player,” said
teammate Shaun Moore, who played against Worthington in high school. “I’ve played club (water polo) with him, too. He’s a really fun guy to play polo with and against.” Worthington is described by teammates as a genuine and skilled part of the team. “He’s always helps out in practice,” said freshman teammate Kevin Reichel. “If you screw up or are confused he’ll always help you out.” Worthington said he plans on playing for as long as he can. “I hope to get a scholarship this season,” Worthington said. “I just want to keep playing polo. Anywhere is fine with me as long as I can keep playing.”
of varsity soccer in high school.Three many as they can,” Brodmann said. Brodmann not only plays soccer. of those years she had her mom as In high school she ran in track for the coach. “It was interesting and difficult at three years and played softball her times, but she is a good coach,” Brod- senior year. “I was pretty much there to run,” mann said. “She knows the game reBrodmann said ally well.” with a laugh. B ro d m a n n Although is one of four Brodmann didn’t siblings. With have a strong inher mom as a terest in softball, coach, two older she knew she brothers and a could contribute younger sister something to the who play soccer, Brodmann has — Ashley Brodmann team. “She is very the game in her Freshman soccer player disciplined and blood. very fast,” Wilds “She is very said. well trained,” Brodmann not only loves playing Wilds said. “I think she has her mom soccer, but really enjoys being on the to thank for that.” According to Brodmann, her fam- field with the Palomar team. “I just like being out there and ily always supports each other in messing around. I like playing a their sports. “My parents come to every game sport I enjoy, with people I enjoy beand my brothers try to come to as ing around,” Brodmann said.
Everyone on the team appreciates Brodmann, according toVargas. “She works really well with others and she is always doing things to help the team,”Vargas said. Palomar soccer is 7-5 in league and 8-9 overall with two more games to go. “We didn’t start out well, but we’re ending well,” Brodmann said. Brodmann didn’t plan on playing soccer at the college level. After high school, she had a few schools contact her, but no one made any formal scholarship offers. Brodmann originally came to Palomar for the sign language interpretation program. She hoped soccer might fit into her schedule, but she didn’t plan on it. For three years Brodmann has known that sign language interpretation was going to be her major, but she has been studying sign language for the last six years. So far Brodmann is enjoying Palomar and what it has offered her.
to work together. “In the beginning of the season we weren’t really clicking,” Worthington said. “We’re clicking now though.” Coach Boynton agreed. “Now we are all on the same page,” Boynton said. “We’ve had to work out a lot of kinks. They’ve worked hard since the beginning.” This past week the team beat Grossmont College in overtime to remain undefeated at home throughout the regular season and achieve seeding in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. The team held a five-game winning streak to end off the regular season. “We are definitely all brothers on this team,” Worthington said. “No-
PCAC athlete of the week leads team in scoring SYDNIE taylor The Telescope
Palomar freshman Ashley Brodmann can’t help but love soccer –it runs in her family. Brodmann is a freshman forward from Murrieta who led the Comets to their fourth straight win by scoring her ninth and 10th goals of the season. “With every goal you get a rush,” Brodmann said. Teammate CynthiaVargas added, “She’s the best – she’s our top scorer.” In the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference, Brodmann is second for goals and points. She was also named athlete of the week for all sports. “She is a tenacious, goal scoring forward,” freshman and captain Jessica Wilds said. Brodmann started as a freshman at Calvary Chapel Murrieta as well as at Palomar. She played four years
“
I like playing a sport I enjoy, with people I enjoy being around.
”
Ashley Brodmann takes the ball to the goal against Cochise Country Community College during the Comets’ first game of the season on Aug. 27.
matthew o’neil | THE TELESCOPE
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|Sports
THE TELESCOPE | Monday, nov. 8, 2010
Steak well done
Boise State transfer thriving in second stint for the Comets defensive unit kelley foyt The Telescope
Most Palomar students come with plans to transfer to a prestigious four year school, but Zach Gholson, 20, isn’t like most students. The Comet’s lead defensive player is back in the red and black after spending three semesters at Boise State. Gholson, said his return is an opportunity in itself. “Everything I learned at Boise, I brought back home,” Gholson said. His experience is paying dividends for the Comets, which was evident at their game on Oct. 30. The team’s victory was in large part due to the defense. Led by Gholson, the Comet’s defense didn’t allow Pasadena College to score in the second half of the game. Gholson recorded 11 tackles with one and a half sacks along with a fumble recovery. Gholson spent the Spring 2009 semester playing for Palomar after his defensive line coach J.G. Aegerter recruited him when he graduated from La Costa Canyon High in 2008. Aegerter said Gholson was one of the best lineman in high school at that time, and isn’t worried about Gholson making another successful transition to a major college football team. “It’s gonna be interesting to see where he ends up because he’s going to have a lot of options,” Aegerter said. Gholson transferred to Boise after that initial semester because he was offered a position on their team as a walkon, with the opportunity to earn a scholarship. “At a program like Boise, you want to take that opportunity,” Aegerter said. “I didn’t want to lose him, but I supported him.” Boise has one of the best football programs in the country being ranked num-
ber two in the nation by the AP. After three semesters at Boise, administration told Gholson they wouldn’t be able to offer Gholson a scholarship, and so he came home. “Being back at Palomar, this is the most fun I’ve had,” Gholson said. He said he learned a lot at Boise, and has brought that knowledge back to Palomar. Gholson, who played in nine games with five tackles for the undefeated Broncos in 2009, explained the players on university-level teams are faster and bigger. Adam Witzman, another Comet teammate, who went to La Costa Canyon with Gholson coined the nickname “Steak” for him in high school because of his size, and described Gholson as a laid-back guy. He said Gholson’s experience and knowledge of the game has helped him with his own performance on the field. “He’s a really good role model for me as a football player,” Witzman said. Aegerter agreed that Gholson’s knowledge of the game is one of his strong suits. “He’s a student of the game,” Aegerter said. “He works really hard at his position.” He works hard at his grades, too, Aegerter said. Gholson said he maintains about a 3.0 GPA. Aegerter said he’s glad to have Gholson back at Palomar. “It’s a great opportunity for him to come back and hone his skills,” he said. Gholson has already been offered a scholarship at another university, and Aegerter said he expects him to receive many more. Gholson said he’s happy to be back at Palomar. “It’s nice, I’m back at home,” he said. “Palomar in general, it’s been a great experience.”
christopher kennedy| THE TELESCOPE
Photos by deb hellman | THE TELESCOPE
Left: Zach Gholson on the sideline waiting for the defense to get back on the field. Above: Gholston going against a Fullerton College offensive lineman in a 20-17 loss, Gholson lead the defense with 9 tackles.
Sports On Deck
Tue., Nov. 9
Wed., Nov. 10
San Diego Mesa 5 p.m. Minkoff Field
Cuyamaca 5 p.m. Palomar Dome
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Thu., Nov. 11
Sat., Nov. 13
Long Beach City 5 p.m. Palomar Dome
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