The Advocate - April 6, 2011

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B

CMYK

Master Plan moves forward

Campus will see accessible routes, retrofitted buildings

sports ◆ page 10

Collapse Softball team gives up lead

CMYK

campus beat ◆ page 8

focus ◆ pages 6-7

Convention electrifies WonderCon attracts comic book fanatics

VOL. 96, NO. 19

SINCE 1950 12 PAGES, ONE COPY FREE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 ACCENTADVOCATE.COM

THE WEEKLY STUDENT VOICE OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, SAN PABLO, CALIF.

Weak funds thin fitness

CONCENTRATED CHARITY

Brown’s strategy withers Tax extension idea falls short of endorsement

Budget cuts gash physical education

By Adam Oliver NEWS EDITOR

By Hilberth Ibarra

aoliver.advocate@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR

hibarra.advocate@gmail.com

With the budget crisis affecting higher education statewide, all the departments at Contra Costa College are dealing with class cuts and the physical education department is no exception.

CCC will be taking a $4 million cut in the 2011-12 fiscal year and as a result the physical education department has cut courses and instructors, physical education “Physical d e p a r t education is m e n t Chairextremely w o m a n e t h important BGoehring to our col- said.

W e lege, as well cut“ back as the com- on health munity that education offerings, comes to cut back take courses aof couple dance courses, a here.” basketball course, Beth Goehring, a soccer physical educacourse tion department Chairwoman and we cut some activity courses and cut some lecture courses,” she said.

Currently CCC has five full-time physical education instructors and many part-time instructors.

If the budget crisis worsens, there is a chance that parttime instructors will be laid off, Goehring said.

“We have five full-time (physical education) instructors who have to have a full load,” she said. “The rest of the classes are taught by part-time professors, so if there are more cuts then they may have to be cut or taught every other semester or something.”

■ SEE REDUCTIONS: Page 4

SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE

Cutting for a cause — Culinary arts student Ira Masuno prepares sushi rolls for attendees at the Japan relief fundraiser in the Three Seasons Restaurant on Friday.

GOURMET SUPPORT

Culinary arts department raises $3,400 to help alleviate Japan’s woes

By Hilberth Ibarra NEWS EDITOR

hibarra.advocate@gmail.com

When a nation is struck by disaster, it reverberates around the rest of the world.

The Contra Costa College culinary arts department hosted a fundraiser to support relief efforts in Japan, which was attended by 150 people and raised $3,400. The fundraiser took place at the Three Seasons Restaurant on Friday.

The main purpose was to collect donations to help the people in Japan who were recently devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami, baking instructor Yoshiko Murakami said.

“I am Japanese, born and raised over there, and we have some Japanese students,” she said. “The first week

(after the tragedy) was the worst ever.

We got together to think about what we could do, and we came up with this fundraiser.”

The 150 people who attended far exceeded the expectations of the event organizers, he said. They had originally planned for 40 or 50 people. With the number of people who came out to show support toward the fundraiser, the department was able to raise $3,400.

Chef Nader Sharkes said the money collected will be sent directly to the Japanese people through the ConsulateGeneral of Japan.

“Every penny goes to the Japanese people,” Sharkes, culinary arts department chairman, said.

The doors opened at 6 p.m. and ■ SEE FUNDRAISER: Page 4

Combining to concoct the perfect storm for California community colleges, the failure of Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed tax extension package is now one of many factors forcing college officials to re-think who they will serve.

The conjunction of massive budget reductions, course eliminations, fee hikes and an “alltime interest” in community college education will make it nearly impossible to cater to the needs of all prospective CCC students, President McKinley Williams said.

“It’s almost like it’s creating a perfect storm. We’re heading into a headwind that is making it more difficult for students to receive a community college education,” he said. “Now it’s really getting hard to make the kinds of reductions that are necessary and still preserve the comprehensiveness of our curriculum.”

After reaching an apparent impasse with Republican legislators to extend a $12.5 billion tax package to voters in a June special election, Brown is now seeking other ways to balance the $26.6 billion deficit, including the possibility of a signature-driven November ballot.

Like many, Academic Senate President Richard Akers said residents should have been allowed a say on the outcome of the tax extension.

“We’ve got a bunch of old folks (GOP state legislators) who already have degrees who are cutting opportunities from students,” he said. “The failure to attain the taxes will truly disadvantage the disadvantaged.”

The state community college system now faces a minimum $620 million overall reduction, boosted by $220 million as a result of the collapse of Brown’s tax initiative, district Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Kindred Murillo said.

■ SEE EXTENSION: Page 4

edit orial Finding plan B

Even though Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax measure will not see the vetoed special election in June, legislators advocating for education need to find other ways to alleviate the stress of the budget cuts on education.

page 2 in brief w Gov. Jerry

Brown’s proposed tax extension plan failed to gain support from GOP legislators.

w Gov. Brown

seeks to find alternative methods to balance the $26.6 billion state budget deficit.

w California

community colleges will face a minimum $620 million overall reduction.

w The

Contra Costa Community College District will lose an estimated 500 full-time equivalent students, due to the initiative’s failure.

Medical problems force Akers’ leave sattal.advocate@gmail.com

Throughout his life, Academic Senate President Richard Akers has faced multiple major health problems.

He usually does not let them get in his way for too long and returns to his work as soon as possible.

In February, when Dr. Akers, 54, was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disorder affecting connective tissue up-and-down his body, he took only two weeks off.

As it turns out, he needs more time.

EDS spread to Akers’ lower back, causing a great amount of back pain ever since and forcing him to take a much longer leave from the college.

Beginning July 1 he will take three

years of paid leave.

“I’m currently learning to deal with different levels of pain,” Akers said.

“It’s an issue to me. I’ve faced health issues my whole life.”

Akers was scheduled to finish his second term as Academic Senate president in June 2012, but will resign one year early.

He said he is taking his contractual banked load and using it for the next three years at half of the pay he currently receives.

He plans to return to teach art and ceramic classes at Contra Costa College in 2014.

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE “If I need to return to teaching with a cane, walker or wheelchair I’ll be able Always optimistic — Academic Senate President Richard Akers will continue working on his art during a three-year leave from the college. Akers has chosen to take a break from to,” he said.

■ SEE AKERS: Page 4 the college after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in February.

CMYK

By Sam Attal

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B

CMYK

2 THE ADVOCATE Quotable “Every time one of these feeding frenzies comes and goes, media credibility drops another notch... And we in education have a harder time selling the profession we care about to the kids who could make it better.”

George E. Padgett journalism educator 1998 Sam Attal editor-in-chief George Morin art director Dariush Azmoudeh online editor Lamar James associate editor Cassidy Gooding opinion editor Malcolm Lastra sports editor Hilberth Ibarra Adam Oliver Alexandra Waite news editors Jermaine Harrison circulation manager Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Christopher Clausen April Halog Iris Jett Horace Jordan Angelina Rucobo Janit Saechao Jesslyn Sherrod Parris Washington Rodney Woodson Staff photographers Hanan Ayyad Qing Huang Jesse Sutherland Christian Urrutia Roman Young Staff illustrators Jared Amdahl Faythe Del Rosario Jon Running Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Member Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.235.7800 ext. 4315 Fax: 510.235.NEWS E-mail: advocate@ contracosta.edu or letters.advocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 VOL. 96, NO. 19 ●

Editorial Backup plan vital

Government should be better prepared

T

his past week, a cold sensation of dread began trickling down higher education’s neck, sending shivers through many students, staff and administrators in California.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s special election, slated for June and which would have held a tax proposal to relieve community colleges of $220 million of their anticipated $620 million budget burden, was voted down by California state legislators after a lengthy gridlock between Democrats and Republicans.

After the dust has settled from this resounding blow, community college students are left bound to a train track, lying in wait for the governor to save us from the locomotive — shaped as a $66 per unit charge, demolished programs and diminished services — that is barreling toward us.

Though many students loathe to be stuck in the position of damsel in distress, now that the special election has been swatted from our grasp, our hands are pretty well tied.

Yes, we can write letters to the GOP legislators who blocked the election.

Sure, we can take over buildings, organize sit-ins and march ourselves silly to the Capitol, but we need to be able to put more faith behind our governor to help keep our convictions clear and our motivation strong.

It has been days since the special election was taken off the table, taking with it the tax measure proposal. And there has only been vague talk of a plan B to alleviate the strains of the budget on higher education.

Students cannot pledge to help make a change if there aren’t any options available with which to do so.

Brown’s first alternative was to take to the streets and organize a signaturedriven ballot, in which he would collect signatures to hold a special election in November. This election will cost millions more and take too many months to prepare.

Though this is an effort that shows Brown is dedicated to finding some sort of relief that will involve citizens rather than just legislators, it may very well be too little too late.

By November, the fall semester for community colleges will be well underway. Countless students will have already felt the crunch of fewer classes and services offered for what may be a much higher cost of tuition.

A $10 per unit fee increase at the state’s community colleges has already been cemented for 2011-12; an additional $30 is a haunting possibility that will keep administrators guessing until at least July 1.

If Gov. Brown doesn’t figure something else out soon, while our district eyes the all-cuts budget for the next fiscal year, the blaring horn of that train is making students begin to sweat.

JARED AMDAHL / THE ADVOCATE

■ Regulation

Patriarchal controls wage ‘war on women’

A

while back, my sister came home from school one day bearing gifts. As I was doing my hair in our bathroom, she presented me with a plethora of multi-colored and flavored condoms.

Apparently, De Anza High School gives these treats out by the handful nowadays.

A little embarrassed that I was being given contraceptives by my baby sister, but at least relieved she found no need for them herself, I stashed the small plastic squares in my makeup bag and continued to get ready for work.

A couple days later, after I had accidentally left the same makeup bag open on the bathroom counter at my father’s house, I noticed the condoms had disappeared.

Now that I’ve thought about it, I’m almost certain my father took them. I can hazard a guess at what he was thinking when he did it, and I admit to some squeamish awkwardness when imagining him picking them out from among my eye shadows and lip glosses to confiscate them as he saw it.

Beyond my slight mortification in regard to the whole situation, the executive decision my father made in an effort to keep me chaste reminds me of the GOP decision to completely defund Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood provides things like free safesex information, birth control and STD tests to millions of women per year. Until Feb. 18, the organization received approximately a quarter of the $317 million appropri-

pills or abortions, they’ll all convert to Catholicism and vow not to have sex until marriage; perhaps my dad hopes the same thing.

Or maybe they are all just prudes.

What it really boils down ated for the Public Health to, though, is that these Service Act, called Title X, patriarchal power-plays need in the federal budget. Thanks to stop. Nobody can tell a to House Rep. Mike Pence woman what to do with her (R-Ind.), however, a bill body. was passed to strip Planned In an era like this one, Parenthood of this fundwhen teenaged girls are paring on the grounds that the ticipating in pregnancy pacts institution uses it to provide by the dozen and vying to women abortions. get a spot on MTV’s “16 and Representatives from Pregnant,” an organization Planned Parenthood, on the like Planned Parenthood is other hand, claim that none not an immoral luxury, but a of the federal money is used desperate necessity. for these procedures that Many have called the conservatives view as evil. recent legislation an act of Regardless of where you war-mongering on the part stand on the abortion issue of the GOP; another strike in remains the fact that this sort the age-old battle of conserof policing is never effective. vatives versus women.

It seems painfully obviI don’t usually side with ous that wounding Planned feminists, as I will gladly Parenthood in this way take 80 cents to the man’s will be counter-productive. dollar if it means I get my Stripping it of this substantial doors opened for me, my chunk of funding will mean dinners bought and my name less availability for women off the draft, but the purely to access the supplies and illogical and so blatantly information they need to be unfair nature of this attack sexually wise. offends me deeply.

This will probably result Women, and the men in more accidental pregnanwho enjoy safe sex and educies and risky abortions per- cated partners, need to stand formed in unsafe conditions together and fight to knock on women in tough situations down this block to Planned with nowhere else to go.

Parenthood’s federal funds.

Stabbing an association like And I guess I just need to this neither makes sense nor hide my condoms better. aligns with the ideologies of Cassidy Gooding is the average American. the opinion editor of The Maybe Pence and his Advocate. Contact her at Republican buddies think cgooding.advocate@gmail. that if girls no longer have any place to get birth control com.

cassidygooding

CampusComment

Should students have to bear the burden of relieving the budget?

“I don’t think so.

Class (prices) are way too high. I just hope they can lower (fees), because a lot of people won’t be going to school.”

Sean Sykes

“I don’t think so. We (students) shouldn’t pay for stuff that is being cut from us. The government should make it better for us.”

“No, because it is unfair for students, since a lot of us grow up in poverty in this area and we don’t have much money.”

Matthew Pedroli

Cari Tam

undecided

psychology

ALEXANDRA WAITE AND MALCOLM LASTRA / THE ADVOCATE

undecided

“It shouldn’t be up to the students. All of these budget cuts are enough. They damaged us enough by raising the fee per unit. What else do they want from us?”

“No, they shouldn’t.

It is the responsibility of the people at the Capitol to make sure the budget (allows) for people to have an education, since a lot of people can’t afford it.”

Edgar Vega

John Cardenas

film

MCHS

“I don’t believe in the state putting budget cuts on (students). I saw on the news that it will be crazy with all of these programs getting cut. I think I may have to switch to taking classes online.”

Darrell Joseph graphic arts

FORUM ■ Networking

christianurrutia

Facebooks for newborns bizarre, silly

T

hese days, you can find almost everyone you know through a social networking website. You can reconnect with distant relatives, see how old friends from previous schools are doing, meet new friends who share common interests and activities and keep up with the people who mean the most to you.

And now you can even see or read about what the soon to be born or infants are up to on the social network stratosphere, along with everybody else.

Many individuals may find the idea of a small infant having its own Facebook page to be ridiculous.

A fetus, who hasn’t even seen the light of day yet, is an even weirder person to have one. However, profiles like these have become a growing trend in the social media element of our society.

This newer generation of social networking sites began with Friendster and quickly became part of the Internet mainstream.

Myspace came soon after, and Facebook, launched in 2004, has become the largest social networking site in the world.

As a result of the popularity of these sites, what parents are doing is leaving a digital footprint for their kids, creating a lasting record for their unborn or newly-born babies to look back at later in life.

According to recent studies, 81 percent of children under the age of 2 have a digital footprint, 7 percent of babies and toddlers have their own email address, 5 percent have their own social networking account and 23 percent of mothers upload their antenatal scans, like ultrasound pictures, to the Internet.

The main reason for doing this, it seems, is to share baby scans and various information about the pregnancy with friends and family.

What it comes down to, though, is that many babies are online in some form or other. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your point of view.

The benefits are these Facebooking babies will be able to scroll through a page that details every milestone, from the moment they were conceived, and to be able to see photos, videos and comments from family and friends.

The disadvantage, however, is that these parents are creating a permanent and public record over which the child has no control.

Furthermore, it means that Facebook and other social networks will hold an unprecedented volume of information about people — they’ll literally know everything about a person from the moment of conception.

Also, keep in mind that Facebook, Twitter and others may well be irrelevant by the time the children in question can take advantage of their profiles, surpassed by newer and more powerful social technology.

So really, setting up a social media profile for your unborn son or daughter may end up being as useful as giving him or her a 5.25 inch floppy disk would be today.

Christian Urrutia is a staff writer of The Advocate.

Contact him at currutia. advocate@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 l THE ADVOCATE

3

■ Family

L

Asian children under pressure

iving in an Asian family has never been easy.

Many people joke about Asian parents being the strictest of all the races.

For some, this is seen as an untrue stereotype, but for many, it is reality.

So, consequently, having Asian parents comes with the constant pressure to uphold family expectations.

Getting mediocre grades is not an option. When I was in the seventh grade, I received a C in Pre-Algebra.

This was the first C I had ever gotten up to that point in my education. When my mother saw this, she did not understand. For the rest of the year, I was made to write my homework assignments down from every one of my classes and ask for the teachers’ signatures.

Higher education and career plans have often become a dinner table debate between parents and their children. Many times, parents are heavily concerned about where their money is going.

pen to an Asian parent is for other people to find out that their child has messed up.

This also explains why many Asian kids think they are not good enough.

Growing up, my siblings and I have always been compared to other people’s In Asian families, their sons’ or daughters’ majors of children. We were often asked by our parents why choice are the determining we weren’t as smart, quiet factors in whether parents or obedient as other kids. will be paying for college, Personally, I grew up thinkhence the lack of Asian ing I was a lazy, obnoxious, students attending art and loudmouthed girl. music schools.

Over the years, it became After school, choosing a more evident that my life, profession is just as controand the lives of most of my versial. If it isn’t medicine Asian-American peers, did or law, it isn’t worth the monetary investment. Many not revolve around what we Asian families have the pre- wanted, but rather what our families expected from us. conceived notion that these Whether the pressure was two career paths are the most about acing the final exam in fulfilling. One would have to be making at least six fig- Organic Chemistry or having ures a year to be successful. to choose between studying All of these issues tie into music as a passion or chasthe ultimate reason as to why ing the unfulfilled dreams of many Asian families tend to one’s parents, the objective was almost never one’s own. be the way they are. It is all How do we solve this? about face. Every family has a reputation to maintain. The Frankly, there is no easy scariest thing that could hap- solution. It is never simple to

janitsaechao

say “no” to the people who provide for you.

To this day, my grandfather still asks me, “Why would you choose to write?

What is that going to do for you?” He says, “Study to become a lawyer or a politician. That way, you’ll be able to help your people.” I have become accustomed to simply shrugging my shoulders in response.

Do not get me wrong, I love my race, but I have finally come to realize that burying one’s own identity for the sake of a reputation is a ridiculous thing to do.

Most importantly, being Asian-American is more than having good grades and going to the best schools to become doctors. It is knowing that I am unique in that I have my own culture and traditions while being able to see that I am still as human as everyone else.

Janit Saechao is a staff writer for The Advocate.

Contact her at jsaechao. advocate@gmail.com.

Losing sheep

Stress, economy lead to perilous sleep deprivation

loss to the battered economy and its effect on people’s stress levels.

“In the last few years we’ve seen the economy take a nose dive, and more people are affected by that,” said Dr. Raj Kakar, a medical director at the Dallas Center for Sleep Disorders.

“More people are stressed. Stress is associated with sleep deprivation,

By Alexandra Waite NEWS EDITOR anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. awaite.advocate@gmail.com The economy is a major factor in why people are losing sleep.”

A survey conducted by the etween school, work and American Psychological Association home-related issues, sleep also reported in 2008 that 52 percent often finds itself on the bottom of 7,000 respondents were losing of many people’s priority lists. Though sleep at night from stress. it may seem logical to shave off sleep People need to constantly remind time in favor of getting more work themselves that sleep is an integral done, that habit can lead to various part of health and that denying oneserious and long-term problems. self that basic need can dangerously More than one-third of U.S. adults impact daily functions. average less than seven hours of sleep Plus, the benefits of sleep by far per night, according to a recent report outweigh the benefits of prolonging from the Centers for Disease Control one’s workload.

These advantages and Prevention (CDC). include improvement in memory, a The National Sleep Foundation guidelines cited by the CDC say most longer lifespan, reduction in inflammation, spikes in creativity, better adults require seven to nine hours athletic performance, better academic of sleep in order to feel adequately performance, lowered stress and rested. sharpened attention span.

This trend of sleep deprivation is If the reason for lack of sleep is problematic, for it affects the perforuncertainty of how to fall asleep in mance of people throughout the day, the first place, doctors recommend as shown by surveys within the report.

In one survey, 38 percent of people various ways to help people sleep that do not involve harmful drugs. said they had unintentionally dozed Associate professor at New York off during the day at least once in the previous month. In addition to that, 5 percent said they had nodded off or had even fallen asleep while driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2009 that being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single-car run-offthe-road crashes, even more than alcohol-related crashes.

“If you don’t get enough sleep, it definitely impacts your functioning, your memory, response time. It definitely impacts your driving,” Lela McKnight-Eily, one of the authors of the report and an epidemiologist and clinical psychologist, said.

Anne Wheaton, a postdoctoral researcher at the CDC who coauthored the report, said sleeping less than seven hours can interfere with everyday tasks that most people take for granted.

Many doctors attribute sleep

B

University School of Medicine Joyce Walsleben said one technique people can use is taking a warm bath for 20 to 30 minutes two hours before going to bed. A warm shower can work as well, but is less effective. At night, our bodies release melatonin, which can make people tired if a dark environment accommodates it.

“Melatonin is your hormone of darkness — it won’t flow with the lights on,” Dr. Walsleben said. “You want to transition to dark as early as 9 or 10 p.m.”

Another method that can help stimulate sleep is creating a routine that the mind can associate with sleep.

Director of the Sleep Disorders Institute in New York Gary Zammit said, “We suggest that people establish regular nightly routines before they get into bed to help their brain shift into sleep mode, laying out your pajamas, brushing your hair or your teeth — these habits can be very sleep-conducive.”

Other general ways to induce sleep are shutting down electronics before bedtime and limiting evening snacks and drinks.

No matter how stressful life can become, neglecting sleep is never the answer. Instead of possibly harming others or themselves with an imperceptive mind, people should develop personalized and creative ways to ensure they get the sleep they need.

JARED AMDAHL / THE ADVOCATE

4 THE ADVOCATE

l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

accent advocate ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Reductions | Physical education to see cuts ■ FROM: Page 1

Twitter

Receive breaking news and updates by following The Advocate’s Twitter account, AccentAdvocate.

Newsline ■ CRAFT

Sewing classes to begin session Contra Costa College will be offering a second session of sewing classes for beginning students tonight from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Recreation Room.

The session consists of five classes, every Wednesday evening until May 11. All students are welcome to register and the enrollment fee is $99, not including the cost for materials.

For more information or to sign up, contact Mercy Pono at 510235-7800, ext. 4292, or e-mail her at mpono@contracosta.edu.

■ ORATION

Speeches showcased The speech and drama departments will put on a “Student Speaker Showcase” on Thursday in the Knox Center from 7 to 9 p.m.

Students will perform a variety of speeches. The event is open to the public and a $10 donation is asked at the door. All proceeds from the event benefit the speech and drama departments.

For more information, contact Dr. Connie Anderson at 510-2357800, ext. 4533.

■ CONCERT

Gospel Choir to perform in Knox The CCC Gospel Choir will perform a concert on Saturday in the Knox Center from 7 to 8 p.m.

For more information, contact the music department at 510-2357800, ext. 4276.

■ FOOD & WINE

Culinary hosts event in Gym The Fourth Annual Food & Wine Event will be held on Sunday in the Gymnasium from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

More than 40 restaurants and wineries will fill the transformed Gymnasium to provide cuisine, live entertainment and an opportunity to support the CCC culinary department.

For more information, contact Heather Kane at 510-235-7800, ext. 4409.

■ EXHIBITION

Automotive Club shows vehicles The Automotive Club will host its annual Car Show on April 14 in the Amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in conjunction with Earth Day. The event is free and all are welcome to come and see a variety of cars from vintage to hybrid models.

For more information or to enter a car in the show, contact Jim Gardner at 510-235-7800, ext.

4282.

CrimeWatch Friday, March 25: Officers responded to a physical fight between two De Anza High School students on Mission Bell Drive.

Sunday, March 27: A victim reported an assault that occurred at the end of her class.

Monday, March 28: A person was stopped for a traffic violation on Mission Bell Drive and it was determined that he was an unlicensed driver. He was cited and released.

— Alexandra Waite

CAMPUS BEAT

Students agree that the cuts will directly affect those who rely on the classes to stay in good health.

Sierra Robinson, a student who takes dance classes offered by the college, said she felt sad after her instructors told her that some of the dance classes were being cut.

“I heard that Goehring the dance classes will be the first to be cut, which is crazy, because I have danced at this school for four years now,” Robinson said.

“I think that they should still keep the dance classes,” she said.

“We work hard doing what we do.”

Robinson said she plans to work hard to keep the classes around.

“Everyone, including dance teachers and dance students, is going to fight,” she said.

Goehring said other consequences of the cuts include overenrolled classes as students try and

Analysts Office has proposed that cram into fewer class sections.

“There will be large classes California should no longer subsibecause there are not as many dize community college physical courses being offered,” she said. education classes for some students.

As a result, for “There will be example, if a 40 or more students per class.” “I heard that the dance student enrolled Students are classes will be the first in and passed an Aerobics course, also worried to be cut, which is he or she would that larger classbe able to es will create crazy, because I have not take an Aerobics poorer learning environments, danced at this school class again.

If the proas instructors for four years now. I posal becomes will have to work around think that they should law, students who are part of the individual still keep the dance a sports team needs of more students. classes. We work hard on campus will be the only “When you doing what we do. ” ones allowed have more stuto re-enroll in dents (instrucSierra Robinson, the courses, tors) can’t student Goehring said. cover all the work,” student There are some people at the state level who Taneasha Parish said.

There are also chances that the think that physical education is physical education classes still expendable because the courses offered may not be repeated an are not academic, Goehring said. extra semester.

However, Goehring said every Goehring said the Legislative physical education class at CCC

has an academic component.

Goehring said physical education classes are fundamental to society.

“Physical education is extremely important to our college students as well as our community that comes to take courses here,” she said. “It is going to remain important because people’s health is important.”

Robinson said that the dance classes she takes at CCC are critical in her development as a student and a person.

“Dance production is preparing students for the real world,” she said.

Goehring sees a dismal future for the college’s physical education department in the short-term, but she is still optimistic that the situation will become better once the state’s budget issues are resolved.

Fundraiser Akers | Break, rest required ■ FROM: Page 1

there was no cost to enter. Instead, guests were encouraged to make a donation in the dona“We did tion box by the door.

“What you can do to this as a help is what you should fundraiser do, even if it is something small. Do what to show that you can,” culinary arts student Daniel Zang there are said. people out The culinary arts department provided a there who large and diverse menu of Japanese favorites still care and including sushi, sake we are givand other Japanese delicacies. In addition, ing it our all some local Japanese like everyone stores and Asian marshould in a kets donated ingredients for the food. situation like “We got most of this.” the items donated. We solicited donations from Japanese stores Daniel Zang, culinary arts student and Asian stores,” Sharkes said. “We received good feedback and we took all of it and put it together to make this event.”

Admissions and Records assistant Tamara Green said people really enjoyed the dinner event and had an overwhelmingly positive experience.

“It is a beautiful event for a tragic, tragic situation in Japan,” she said. “It is so beautiful (when) so many students come out.”

Student and diner Natalia Aldaco agreed.

“I think what the culinary arts department is doing is amazing. It is really helping,” she said.

The culinary arts department is already planning another fundraiser to continue to show support for the people of Japan.

“We did this as a fundraiser to show that there are people out there who still care and we are giving it our all like everyone should in a situation like this,” Zang said.

to fill them with cement and rebar to reinforce Akers said he needs time off to deal with them.

“Governments come and go in a thousand EDS, which piles on top of all the other health years,” he said. “My works will still be there.” issues he also faces.

College President McKinley Williams said “It’s going to impact my future,” he said.

“It’s something I have to deal with one way or he is happy to hear that Akers is pursuing his wishes and relieving his busy duties of the senanother.”

He has had five knee surgeries, two foot ate.

“I wish him the best, Williams said. “His surgeries, two ankle surgeries. He also has had three heart surgeries, the first when he was only health is more important than any of his 6 years old. He said he has had other surgeries duties.”

Williams said Akers’ hiatus will hurt the as well that he does not like to discuss.

EDS and his previous health conditions, atmosphere of the college.

“Richard is extremely intelligent (and) he’s including his degenerative heart disease, are all able to work with everybody,” Williams said. connected, he said.

Akers and those who know him said that dur- “He has provided excellent leadership by supporting the college, students ing his time off, resting will not and staff.” be his main focus.

“There are a lot Lynette Kral, secretary of “Richard is not going to be the Senate president, a couch potato,” art department of folks I’ve met saidAcademic she has created a friendly Chairman John Diestler said.

“He’s simply exchanging one that I’ve forgotten. bond with Akers during his last terms. type of activity for another.”

(Akers) won’t be two“I’m going to miss him,” Akers plans to work on his she said. “It’s so enjoyable to art and create a monument in one of them.” work with him. It’s almost not the Bay Area with some of his like a job.” ceramics towers.

John Diestler, arts department chairman She said it’s hard not to “I’m inspired to move on to laugh at Akers’ jokes, even durthe next phase with my works,” he said. “It’ll probably be the biggest project of ing serious moments.

Akers said he plans to keep in contact with my life.”

His works titled “Cores from Ground Zero” those associated with the college during his are political in nature and show faces of politi- three years off.

“Most of my friendships are with people I cians and other objects pertaining to society and work with,” he said. “I have lived my whole culture.

He said he wants to plant his iconic pieces in life married to education. I don’t expect (those) relationships to end “ the Redwood Forests of Northern California.

Diestler said although he may retire before “My mission was to affect the aesthetic of society,” he said. “Installing these sculptures is Akers returns, his memories of their friendship my dream. That’s where I’m going to have my will always come up.

“There are a lot of folks I’ve met that I’ve ashes spread.”

Diestler said the idea does not come as a forgotten,” Diestler said. “Richard won’t be one surprise to him. He said he has seen Akers’ pas- of them.”

Akers also said that he will help the new sion for art.

“He’s absolutely committed to the purpose senate president who will be elected later this of art,” Diestler said. “He wants students to not month. He will tutor the new person until he only master the media, but he also wants them or she is comfortable with the role and its demands. find the reason behind the work.”

“I’ll still have my involvement,” Akers said.

Akers wants to make sure his works are preserved in forests and not destroyed. He plans ■ FROM: Page 1

Extension | Student opportunities slashed (so) we expect failure,” Akers The district and CCC will see further $3 mil- said. “If we turn (students) lion and $500,000 slashes respectively, which away how will they succeed?” will mean deeper cuts, more staffing reduc- Akers asked.

Sisters Alejandra and tions and a potential re-prioritization of student Sylvia Ramirez said they are enrollment, she said.

“We’re downsizing, we’re laying off and considering transferring out of we’re cutting courses. The cuts are so devastat- the district if the classes they need are cut or ing that there’s just no way (not to),” Murillo over enrolled.

“This semester, I thought I was registersaid. ing early, but I was on the The Contra Costa wait list for everything,” Community College District “We’ve got a bunch Alejandra Ramirez said. “It will also lose around 500 makes you worry that maybe full-time equivalent students of old folks (GOP they don’t have what you (FTES) because of the initiastate legislators) who need.” tive’s failure, she said.

And for incoming freshThe approximate 10 peralready have degrees men, locking in a course cent course offering reduction to the 2011-12 academic year who are cutting oppor- schedule without the benefit will create more competitive tunities from students. of priority registration may become even more challengenrollment among students, The failure to attain ing with one-tenth the course Williams said, possibly limMurillo said. iting access for those who the taxes will truly dis- sections, The Legislative Analyst’s aren’t as quick to the draw.

“Our college has been a advantage the disad- Office issued recommendations to prioritize freshmen second chance for many who vantaged.” and impose a 90-unit cap on haven’t gotten it together taxpayer subsidized credits, after high school, (but) that Richard Akers, options the district is still may change,” he said. “The Academic Senate president weighing, Murillo said. door might not be open to But having attended CCC them.”

Dr. Akers said it used to be that CCC would for six years, student Ferissa Lagasca also fund “every student who wanted to come in and knows what it’s like to be ignored. “It’s annoytry,” but the current fiscal crisis and education ing, I think it should be equal. I’m just hoping demand is changing who will be provided that some of the classes I’ll be taking won’t be so full,” Lagasca said. opportunity.

However, some feel a valued goal of CCC’s He said community colleges are beginning to adapt more to the identity of a junior college, mission could be lost as consequence of the or a university preparatory school geared more potential 90 unit limit.

Lifelong learning students, who have been a toward immediate success and rapid transfers.

“Now, there’s a movement in the Legislature unique fixture in population in the community to not support failure. This is a school system, college system, could lose their opportunities.

■ FROM: Page 1

When senior citizens are here taking classes, Akers said, it allows older people to act young and allows young people to capitalize on their experience.

By losing that diversity and area of service, “We are choking the community out of community colleges,” he said.

But with such great demand and little funding, some think education should be made most available to those actively pursuing degrees or transfer.

“If you don’t have an education plan you shouldn’t be allowed to be here,” health and human services major Hal Louis said.

Though a $10 fee increase per unit, going from $26 to $36, was already signed in by Brown a couple weeks ago, the possibility of a tuition hike to $66 per unit is still on the table, Williams said.

According to a budget impact projection by the Community College League of California, a $66 per unit hike could generate around $280 million for the system.

However, Murillo said the hike has potential if the district’s colleges are met with an equally dreary all cuts budget situation.

The state’s community college system must still plan for a scenario that will reduce $1 billion if Proposition 98 is not funded at a minimum, which would “basically mean the biggest change in community colleges that we’ve ever seen,” Murillo said.

Because a June special election was not cast, Governing Board Trustee John Marquez said the $97 million bond measure to upgrade facilities and technology at CCC will not be possible.

The measure may now take as long as until the November 2012 primary election to reach West County voters.

CAMPUS BEAT

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 l THE ADVOCATE

Budget cuts to imperil programs

By Malcolm Lastra SPORTS EDITOR

mlastra.advocate@gmail.com

During the past few years, California has fallen victim to many economic problems including expensive gas prices, cuts to education and high tax rates.

And now, due to the state’s budget deficit, officials will cut billions of dollars from programs such as Medi-Cal, Adult Day Health Care, welfare-to-work and child care programs, higher education and state parks.

The cuts will take effect on July 1, the first day of the 2011-12 fiscal year.

“As difficult as it is, it’s something that has to be done,” Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor Helen Benjamin said.

“Education isn’t the only entity that is taking a hit, but also health and human services. Everyone is sacrificing.”

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the state budget and 12 other measures on March 24, which will result in $11.2 billion being cut from state services and programs to help alleviate the $26.4 billion deficit California currently faces.

While all programs are facing a loss, social services such as MediCal and CalWORKs will suffer the biggest blow, as they will lose a total of $5.8 billion.

“The (cut) will limit people’s opportunity to attend community colleges,” Contra Costa College Employment Development Services specialist John Christensen said.

“CalWORKs helps employ students while they get an education.”

The cuts to Medi-Cal will result in the state paying less money for patients who are on Medi-Cal, causing patients to pay more from their own pockets.

Due to the cuts in health and human services, programs such as adult day health care will be affected as it will force senior citizens to get into retirement homes which often cost around $1,200 to $2,000 a month to live in.

“Limiting adult health care will provide fewer services for retired people,” administrator, founder and chief financial officer of Guardian Adult Day Health Care Center Peter Behr said. “There will be more disabled and retired people in the emergency room.”

While adult health care does not receive a lot of revenue, it is a cheaper alternative for disabled

and retired citizens.

“The state currently pays nursing homes five times more than adult day health care centers,” Behr said. “We have the lowest cost in the state, so if the state stops paying us, we will be out of business.”

On Oct. 8, 2010 former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed funding for CalWORKs Stage 3 child care in the California budget, which provides money for families on welfare.

“Cutting Stage 3 funding takes away the continuity of care and early education. It will put parents’ jobs at risk,” Contra Costa Child Care Council Executive Director Kate Ertz-Berger said in a spring 2011 CCCC bulletin.

While California’s community colleges have already faced a $10 increase toward tuition fees to

5

$36, these cuts in the state budget will hurt students who are a part of programs such as EOPS and Disabled Students Programs and Services which are funded on the campuses. “(Since the special election didn’t pass), it will be severe for EOPS,” EOPS counselor Ollie Baylis-Payne said. “It will make it harder for students and employees to receive money to help pay for books and transportation.”

Baylis-Payne and others are trying to find ways to help save their programs from being erased.

“I have contacted every legislator (suggesting) ways to save money and not to dismember the program,” Behr said. “I’ve been doing this job for 17 years and I’m not happy about (the fact) that we can be possibly (eliminated).”

Physicist presents job opportunities Brown highlights future employment

of using data to measure the outcome of any specific and hypothetical disaster.

Brown shared with students the high demand of customers in need of nuclear physicists to input data to find uncertainties

By Lamar James of possible nuclear disasters.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR “Before a disaster, a company may want ljames.advocate@gmail.com to know the potential damage of that event,” David Brown, a nuclear physicist, shared Brown said.

“And what our system does is input data and celebrated the 100-year anniversary of late physicist Ernest into these supercomputers, which comes up with Rutherford’s publication “This program is to numbers the companies of the Geiger-Marsden expose students to can use to forecast cauexperiment. This experiment discovered the salities.” technology, engineeratomic nucleus and set The experiment that ing, science, comput- conceptualized this theory the foundation for the giving a monkey world of nuclear physics. ing and other scientific involved a specific word to type on In a seminar held in a typewriter. If given an PS-132 Friday, Brown fields.” presented a slideshow infinite amount of time with the typewriter, the titled “Uncertainty Setiati Sidharta, Quantification and student services and instructional support experiment assumed the coordinator monkey would eventually the Infinite Monkey Theorem.” be able to type the given The seminar, which focused on compu- word.

Brown said any time someone measures tational nuclear physics, explored the idea ADVERTISEMENT

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ROMAN YOUNG / THE ADVOCATE

Scientific explanation — David Brown presents a slideshow titled “Uncertainty Quantification and the Infinite Monkey Theorem” in PS-132 on Friday. something, there will likely be some uncertainties.

“This technique is often used in understanding nuclear reactors and their performance,” Brown said. This data is interpreted and it creates a probability that shows how well the reactors are working.

Setiati Sidharta, student services and instructional support coordinator, said, “The seminar was really to highlight the opportunities that can come along when you study

Emergency contact system revamped, meant to inform District creates new way to contact college

By Rodney Woodson STAFF WRITER

rwoodson.advocate@gmail.com

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science.”

She said the seminar was supposed to take place in March but due to the collegewide blackout from March 17-22, it was postponed.

“This program is meant to expose students to technology, engineering, science, computing and other scientific fields,” Dr. Sidharta said. “And also to show students how science is applied to help others.”

Presently, Contra Costa College has multiple ways to relay information to students in the event of an on-campus emergency.

And so far this semester college officials have been putting those methods to the test.

Four robberies involving CCC students have occurred since January at, or near, the Bus Transfer Center and a power outage left the campus closed to students for four school days.

The college used all available avenues to alert students of the closure, but there were still students who showed up for school only to be turned away.

Vice President Carol Maga said the college posts information regarding campus emergencies on the college and the district websites.

“Students can (phone) call in to the school for information, we post signs around the campus and send emails to students and faculty,” she said.

Twenty-six-year-old CCC student Darin Taylor said, “I didn’t receive any emails about the school being closed and I wasted a lot of gas coming here on separate days.”

Early childhood development major Catherine Dach said that she has been receiving all of her school emails in her spam folder.

“Maybe (the college) should find a better way to communicate to students,” she said.

In a situation where a student is threatened by unforeseen events, he or she should be prepared for emergencies.

“We recommend that all students program local emergency dispatch numbers into their phones, because dialing 9-1-1 on a cell phone will send you to California Highway Patrol in Vallejo,” Contra Costa Community College District Emergency Services Coordinator Teddy Terstegge said.

If a person’s cell phone is stolen or he or she doesn’t have one, Terstegge said the student should run into the nearest classroom or building for help or go immediately to Police Services.

Terstegge said students can connect better with the college by registering their mobile devices at http://alerts.4cd.edu. Those who register will be alerted through text messaging. For more information students can contact him at tterstegge@4cd.edu.

Taylor, who didn’t know about the text message system, said that a text message would have been a better way to alert him of any emergency situations.

Dach said, “Text messages would have worked better than emails. Everyone has a cell phone.” She also had no idea about the text message system through the “We recommend district’s webthat all students site. program local CCC previously used a emergency dis“blue phone” system. These patch numbers were phones marked with into their phones, blue lights because dialing located around 9-1-1 on a cell the campus for students to use phone will send in emergency you to California situations.

Maga said, Highway Patrol “We elimiin Vallejo.” nated the blue phones Teddy Terstegge, (last spring) because the emergency services coordinator students didn’t use them and they would malfunction periodically.”

She said since the removal of the blue phones, the emergency contact system has proven to an effective improvement.

“After every emergency, we talk about what worked and what didn’t work so we can better communicate,” she said.

Interim Senior Dean of Students Vicki Ferguson said that she likes the way the emergency contact system is presently.

“When we knew the correct information about the power outage, we followed protocol and it worked well.”

As of now, there are no plans to update the current emergency contact system. Terstegge said the present system is fairly new and so far it has been functional.

6 THE ADVOCATE

FOCU

l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

Sharp stance — San Francisco resident Eric Lopez poses as Wolverine from the Marvel series “XMen” during WonderCon at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on Saturday.

WONDER

By Dariush Azmoudeh ONLINE EDITOR

dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Walking a few blocks from the Powell Street BART station to get to the Moscone Center on Saturday, I could sense the WonderCon atmosphere around me by the cosplayers causally strolling on the street.

Before entering the Moscone Center, several things caught my eye. First, there was a line across the street where people stood to get their S.H.I.E.L.D. agent badge that was set up by Marvel Comic. Second, there was a large group of Star Wars’ Stormtoopers getting their picture taken.

WonderCon attendee David Goldsberry said, “It’s been a lot of fun. I enjoy being part of an activity where people come and have fun in costume.”

Goldsberry dressed up as Jedi and is part of the Rebel Legion which is group of Star Wars fans who dress up like the good guys of the series, opposite to the 501st Legion, who dress up as the bad guys, he said.

Upon entering the main hall, the large crowds surrounding the many booths made it hard to walk around at a normal pace. The Marvel and DC comics’ booths drew the biggest crowds as both were promoting their own upcoming movies, Marvel’s “Thor” and DC’s “Green Lantern.” Nintendo was also drawing big crowds as it was showMeeting fans — Comic book author Sam Humphries signs books for fans during WonderCon at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on Saturday.

Humphries is remaking the “Fraggle Rock” television series from the early 1980s, but this time, as a comic rendition.

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

Deep search — Richmond resident Thomas Young looks through comics during WonderCon at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on Saturday.

OCUS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 l THE ADVOCATE

7

Packed in — Attendees fill the floor of the Moscone Center during WonderCon in San Francisco on Saturday.

The three-day event attracted more than 39,000 people from all around the world.

San invades ERCON Francisco GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

casing its new 3DS handheld systems.

Tons of comic books were being sold by many vendors. Some even offered $1 comics.

Shirts and other comic-based merchandise was also on sale.

While WonderCon celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, some attendees were at the event for their first time.

Braulio Torrejon, who traveled from Stockton to attend his first WonderCon, said he enjoyed seeing all the cosplayer and the comic books for sale.

“The people here are very interesting. They have such a passion for comic books,” he said.

“I’m really hoping to come back next year with a lot “It’s been a lot of more money so I fun. I enjoy being can buy stuff.” part of an activComic book artist were there ity where people to show off their work and offer to come and have do drawings for fun in costume.” commission.

Former televiDavid Goldsberry, sion and movie WonderCon attendee stars such as Lou Ferrigno, Peter Mayhew and Richard Kiel where present to give autographs and take picture with fans for a fee.

Despite all the exhibits, what made WonderCon most enjoyable for fans were the other fans who showed up in costume.

People had their pictures taken with other fans who were dressed up as their favorite character from comics, cartoons or movies.

“I was surprised how many people wanted to (take) pictures,” Kyle Thornburg, who dressed up as Booster Gold, said. “It’s been a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. I was expecting to wander around, buying comics, but its been more about people interaction.”

Popular comic books “Batman R.I.P.” by Grant Morrison

“Blackest Night” by Geoff Johns

“Civil War” by Mark Millar

“X-Men: First Class” by Jeff Parker

ROMAN YOUNG / THE ADVOCATE

Hands up — Attendees raise their hands trying to catch free merchandise from a Marvel employee during WonderCon at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on Saturday. Marvel gave out free DVDs, comics and other freebies.

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

8 THE ADVOCATE

CAMPUS BEAT

l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

Plan builds access

Upcoming changes 1

Campus to see face lift, retrofits, new buildings

4

By Alexandra Waite NEWS EDITOR

awaite.advocate@gmail.com

Beginning in the summer, construction under the Facilities Master Plan will resume with major renovations to the Music Building, including a complete remodel of the interior and seismic retrofitting to make it more resistant to earthquake damage.

During the process of upgrading the building, the music department will temporarily reside in the Humanities Building, Vice President Carol Maga said.

District Chief Facilities Planner Ray Pyle said completion of the Music Building is expected to take nine months to a year.

“There will be seismic retrofitting, new roofing and (disabled) access to the Music Building,” Maga said.

“Students will be able to walk straight through the atrium to classrooms instead of having to walk around. There will also be a music theater.”

Along with renovations to the Music Building, the Gym Annex Building and athletic fields will undergo changes as well, either in the summer or fall, she said.

A modular elevator will be attached to the side of the GA Building, providing a cheap and fast alternative to installing an elevator within the building.

Pyle said the upgrades to the athletic fields will primarily be for compliance to accessibility codes for the disabled.

After those projects are finished, the campus will enter a construction phase known as the campus core project, in which the H Building and Student Activities Building will be demolished, President McKinley Williams said.

Pyle said the district is currently working with eight state architects to design those two projects and will complete the design sometime in 2014.

5

Timeline

1. The Music Building will see major renovations beginning this summer.

2. The Gym Annex Building will receive a modular elevator.

3. Renovations to the athletic fields will begin this summer.

4. The Humanities Building will be torn down and a classroom building will replace it.

2 3

5. The Student Activities Building will be torn down and replaced by a new building.

INFOGRAPHIC BY GEORGE MORIN AND SAM ATTAL/THE ADVOCATE

Maga said, “(The construction) will affect just about everyone. It will take two-and-a-half to three years (and) it will be inconvenient.

We’ll have to create newly marked pathways throughout the campus.”

Williams said all the projects in the facilities plan will be funded by the Measure A Bond passed in 2006.

In place of the old H and SA buildings will be a new SA Building and classroom building.

Maga said the new SA Building will include a cafeteria, Three Seasons Restaurant, Bookstore, Student Life Center, ASU Office,

college and Middle College High School administrative offices and a Recreation Room.

She said while the construction for those two buildings takes place, classrooms will become much more crowded.

“We have discussed some alternatives, such as class time changes, or maybe a five-day-a-week class schedule,” she said.

Williams said the college also plans to build a new entrance by the Student Services Center, changing the design of the round-about to ease traffic and improve infrastructure in that area.

He said though the college is on “(The construction) target to finish construction for the Master Plan in 2017, the plan still will affect just about requires additional money.

At the moment, there is not everyone. It will take enough money from the 2002 and 2006 Measure A bonds to con- two-and-a-half to three struct a new Sciences and Allied years (and) it will be Health Building, or to renovate the inconvenient.”

Gymnasium, which is all scheduled to happen after the new SA Carol Maga, and classroom buildings are comvice president pletely finished, he said.

“The master planning process looks at things you want to do ects you don’t have money for, but within the next 10 to 20 years,” it provides a long-range look at the Pyle said. “There are always proj- campus.”

Comet Café to provide study area ASU eatery reopens in Recreation Room

By Rodney Woodson STAFF WRITER

rwoodson.advocate@gmail.com

During final exams of the 2010 fall semester, the ASU introduced the Comet Café, held in the Recreation Room in the Student Activities Building, as an alternative to studying in the Library and Learning Resource Center for students who would rather not work in silence.

Due to its popularity, the ASU is launching the Comet Café once again this semester.

This time around, however, they are also looking to expand the outreach.

ASU Senator Albert Ambris said, “We wanted to revamp the Comet Café this semester and offer the students more services.”

ASU Senator Rodney Wilson said the ASU is attempting to bring on-the-spot counseling, in which counselors will offer academic counsel to students in the Comet Café, peer/student tutoring, as well as professors holding office hours in the café.

“We want the teachers to be there to talk to and tutor students,” he said.

Wilson said that last semester, the ASU received plenty of support for the Comet Café from the teaching staff, and though they do not have a commitment from a teacher as of yet, they are expecting the same backing.

According to Ambris, the ASU has been in contact with the counseling department.

Some of the counselors are interested in providing academic counseling and counseling for first year students.

The Comet Café can be found in the Recreation Room beginning April 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The ASU will also be having a launch party for the re-opening of the Comet Café on April 11 and April 12.

The peer/student tutoring will include LLRC. tutors from the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Wilson said, “The Comet Café is a place Society and the Black Student Union. where students can study and socialize, because though the Library is a “We have a list of members that great place to study, they don’t perform well in various classes and will be available to tutor students,” really allow you to socialize.”

BSU President Ericka Greene said.

Wilson also said that another goal of the Comet Café is to help The BSU will provide tutors for students develop cohort relationAfrican-American History as well ships with other students and facas English and mathematics.

“The BSU wants to help our ulty members. student body perform better aca- Ambris Islam Ayyad, ASU senator and chairwoman of the Achievement demically; we want to be seen as a positive influence,” Greene said.

Gap Committee, said, “This is for students Ambris said, “The Comet Café was pretty who don’t like to study in quiet spaces. I successful last semester. A lot of students personally like to study in groups where we came by and that’s the reason we are putting can help one another.”

ASU senators are donating most of the it in this format.”

Last semester, during final exams, the funding for the Comet Café, Ayyad said. main purpose of the Comet Café was to “The ASU will also be doing different provide a place for students to prepare for activities around the campus to raise funds,” tests and presentations. This semester, it will she said. “We are trying to make the Comet continue as an alternative to studying in the Café permanent.”

Puente provides students with guidance College club looks to assist pupils with core curriculum

By Rodney Woodson

“Puente is the epitome of a learning community. We provide a network of support for students”

rwoodson.advocate@gmail.com

Norma Valdez-Jimenez,

For students from backgrounds that don’t necessarily receive a large amount of academic support, the Puente Program provides an educational haven.

Since 2002, Puente has been a part of Contra Costa College and it has been providing students with knowledge and guidance that is instrumental to their futures.

CCC counselor and Puente counselor Maritza Vande Voorde said, “Puente is a transfer program designed to increase the number of educationally underserved students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities.”

“Puente is the epitome of a learning community. We provide a network of support for students,” CCC and Puente counselor Norma Valdez-Jimenez said. “Support from peers, professional mentors, teachers and staff (are the resources provided).”

Students in Puente at CCC taking English 142B are passing at a rate that is 21.7 percent higher than the average of

general CCC students, according to Senior Dean of Research and Planning Tim Clow. In the same study, students are also passing English 1A at a 9.3 higher percentage.

A study by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office shows that 56 percent of freshman Puente students from 2002-2008 at CCC have transferred to four-year schools; a figure that is 6 percent higher than the highest ethnic group’s percentage.

The program consists of three phases, the first a student’s first semester with Puente. The second phase, a class entitled Ensuring Transfer Success, focuses on giving students pertinent information about transfer colleges.

Valdez-Jimenez said, Ensuring Transfer Success is the only class on campus that teaches students how to transfer.

Vande Voorde said, “We tell the students about scholarships, the classes they need to take and tools they will need

STAFF WRITER

CCC counselor

to succeed and transfer.”

In the third phase, after the in-class phases are over, students will continue to be counseled by Puente counselors and mentored by their individually assigned mentors.

CCC English professor Elvia Ornelas-Garcia said, “They are with us, consistently, for an entire year. This allows the students to be comfortable, feel safe and share opinions with other students.”

Puente student Alex Mercado said, “Puente opens you up to new ideas and information about school. They fill you in on what requirements you need to transfer.”

Talia Padilla, another Puente student, agreed.

“It’s about transferring,” she said. “ (It’s about) pushing you to aim high with your goals.” She also said that she loves the program and that the challenging courses are worth the results. “It pays off beyond credits or grades,” she said.

Ornelas-Garcia said, “The reason Puente is so successful at CCC is because the courses are just as rigorous as regular courses at CCC and instructors try to find topics that the students can relate to in order to better connect them with the curriculum.”

Puente at CCC has a predominantly Latino base, so the instructors use tools such as literary books written by Latinos that contain issues and situations that are pertinent to them.

Brown focuses toward success

CAMPUS BEAT

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 l THE ADVOCATE

9

Hopeful entrepreneur plans to one day help community, locals

By Lamar James ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ljames.advocate@gmail.com

Getting up when most of her peers are still sleeping is something Contra Costa College student Chelsea Brown believes will contribute to her success. After meditating, the 26-year-old checks her email, her business website and begins to make calls for her small business venture.

In order to pursue higher education and balance living expenses, she soon goes to work as a cashier at the college Bookstore.

Right after she finishes her usual work shift, Brown starts another. She also works for Senior Dean of Research and Planning Tim Clow as an assistant. Then, she attends a night class.

“I have been through a lot in my life,” Brown said. “I have three jobs and I have started my own business. I am determined to give back.”

Brown, who was born in San Francisco, grew up as an only child raised by her mother who was a single parent. Although her mom was ill, she did her best to take care of her daughter and teach her skills she would need to succeed.

With an ailing mother, Brown was forced to move from state-to-state and she eventually landed in San Pablo. At an early age, Brown learned skills of independence from being on her own. After it became too much to take care of her mother, she decided to place her in a nursing home.

In January 2010, Brown suffered the loss of her mother, which left her alone, but also gave her the drive to succeed and help others.

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE Through her mother she learned the Dream chaser — Aspiring entrepreneur and CCC student Chelsea Brown uses her independence to help bring a brighter skills of holistic medicine and the impor- future. She currently runs her own small business. tance of helping others. During her bereavement, Brown decided she would help herself the skills I have had my whole life to reach a “Sometimes she can get a little discour- she said. “I have started to take the correct by helping others enroll in classes, which certain point of success,” Brown said. “And aged, but she is always looking at the bigger steps in life to make it.” would benefit her aspirations of becoming a by doing that, I could profit and donate pro- picture,” Crear said.

The lesson her mother has taught her has successful philanthropist and entrepreneur. ceeds to those who are in need.”

Clow said Brown has used her time at the stayed with her.

A large part of her business is her web- college to assert her goals.

She said she knew the key to her indepen“My mother would have wanted me to do dence was to better her life and that by using site, which she checks frequently.

“She epitomizes what it is to be a Comet. what I am doing and I feel as if I am making the skills her mother left “My website has been By holding down three jobs and taking care her proud,” she said.

Brown said her life has taken many her, she would enrich my avenue to the outside of herself at an early age, that shows she has “She epitomizes what world. It has really been the will to succeed,” he said. turns and twists, but she is content at the the lives of many.

“I thought to myself it is to be a Comet. By helping people become Brown said she has plans for her business moment.

Dunn said, “She likes to collect books, one day, ‘What could I aware of my product,” she and has invested in stocks and bonds as a holding down three do to help other people said. benefactor to her business and its founda- and I think that is a way for her to make and use my skills?’” jobs and taking care of Brown said working at tion. people think concisely of her bookshelf.”

“I have stocks that I check every night,” Brown said that collecting books, rocks, Brown said. the Bookstore has helped That is when she herself at an early age, her work ethic. Once shy she said. “I intend to use these stocks and comic strips, music and playing the piano got the idea to start that shows she has the and isolated, the Bookstore bonds later in the philanthropic aspects of are some of her hobbies. She said organizing Harbor Herbal Gifts and has helped her open up to my business venture.” and starting her business has become her will to succeed.”

Goods. people.

Brown said that she plans to give her hobby as well.

Her business con“She is a very hard work- stocks to charity whenever they reach a sellShe said that she has turned something that could be very negative (losing her sists of selling customer,” Bookstore Manager ing point.

Tim Clow, senior dean of research and planning ized gift baskets, herbal Janis Walsh said. “When “This is a way to give back. I have to pay mother) into a positive, and will use her tea blends, incense and you give her a project you my karmic debt off, and I feel that in a way, story to encourage others to follow their dreams as well. candles, oils and body butters. can count on her to get the job done. She is that is what I am doing,” Brown said.

She said through her business she has “I want people to believe in themselves,” She said the business will be the foun- driven with passion.”

Co-workers Darris Crear and Nick Dunn found peace and an outlet to become a suc- she said. “I have learned to believe in myself dation to start her philanthropic work, and stabilize her financially. agree that Brown is passionate about her cessful entrepreneur. and learned to help others, and that brings “I could start selling my products and use business, her work, and her life as a student.

“I hope for a better and brighter future,” contentment and fulfillment.”

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Swim lessons held soon Affordable pool class to be offered

By Jermaine Harrison CIRCULATION MANAGER

jharrison.advocate@gmail.com

After bringing in the spring season in March, the weather has taken a turn for the better and dreams of pool-side activity have sprung anew.

To prepare for the warmer months ahead, Contra Costa College’s aquatic program is starting its swim season for spring and summer of 2011.

Swimming lessons will start April 10 and be held through Nov. 10 in the college Pool.

“This is a very consistent program, and I see a lot of kids scared of the water at first when they come, but months later they are looking like professional swimmers,” program participant Dominic Creer said. “That is very fulfilling to me.”

The program offers a wide variety of recreational swimming lessons for different age groups, with costs ranging from $18-$35. Each package includes up to eight days of lessons.

“I have been working (with the

aquatic program) for a number of years, and we are a very economical program compared to others, considering we have rates as low as $18,” program employee Michelle Saechao said.

Rates for similar lessons at a nearby community pool in Pinole start at $50.

The programs included are 25-minute swimming lessons, parent/toddler swim lessons, springboard diving, water polo, junior water polo and adult lap swim.

The college Pool will also charge $2 a day for recreational swimming during the summer.

Pool Manager and Aquatic Program Director Jim Ulversoy said the program is one that people return to even after they are expert swimmers.

“The small children will have a separate instructional pool that ranges from 2 to 3 feet which will prepare them for the bigger pool,” he said. “A lot of times we have (these students) come back to CCC to swim later in life.”

Saechao said, “Learning how to swim is very important, and the money we raise goes to the athletic department, which will help funding for sports equipment.”

“I have been working (with the aquatic program) for a number of years, and we are a very economical program compared to others, considering we have rates as low as $18.”

Michelle Saechao, program employee

The Pool is Olympic-sized at 50 meters long and it is heated to an average pool temperature of 82 degrees.

The pool ranges from 3 to 13 feet deep from the surface in different areas.

Registration forms are available in the Pool Office from 4 to 7 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays.

New participants can pay by money order, check or cash in GA-90 located in the Gym Annex Building There are a limited number of openings per half-hour class, and the facilitators of the programs encourage students to sign up in advance to avoid complications, Ulversoy said.

10 THE ADVOCATE

l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

SPORTS

Coach earns Hall of Fame recognition

By Dariush Azmoudeh ONLINE EDITOR

dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com

After many years of dedication to football, a former Contra Costa College athletic director and football coach has been inducted into the California Community College Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Tom Kinnard, 71, was honored along with 10 other inductees during a ceremony on March 3 in Visalia, Calif.

Kinnard said when he first heard the news that he was being inducted to the Hall of Fame, he felt surprised.

“I was pleasantly surprised and felt very good about being inducted,” he said. “Many fantastic coaches and players have been inducted to this Hall of Fame.” He said the event was outstanding with about 300 people in attendance.

The audience included his former football coach from his playing years at CCC, and another Hall of Fame coach, Vince Maiorana.

“To me, it seemed he at first had anxiety, but he was overcome by the entire ceremony, along with seeing his name on (the Hall of Fame) plaque,” Maiorana said.

Kinnard said Maiorana, along with former Comet coach and Kinnard’s former teammate at CCC, Lou Guida, nominated him for the Hall of Fame.

Maiorana said, “It was well deserved. Tom is a highly regarded professional in physical education and athletics (in the state).”

He said it is a prestigious honor for Kinnard to be inducted to the Hall of Fame because only a few get in and there are a lot of community colleges in California, not

to mention many great coaches.

Kinnard became the fourth Comet football coach to be inducted into the hall, Maiorana said, joining himself, Neil Gunn and Robert Creer.

Current CCC Athletic Director John Wade said, “It’s a great honor when one of your coaches is in the Hall of Fame, because so few are GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE inducted.”

Kinnard began his history at Comet legend — Since arriving at CCC in 1957 as a Comet athlete, Tom Kinnard has brought CCC as a freshman quarterback many years of dedication serving as the college’s football coach and athletic director. in 1957 under Maiorana, who was a harsh word.” in his first year as football coach. College changed my whole life. a degree.

Kinnard became the college’s “I knew I wasn’t big enough, Kinnard also played baseball at I came from a huge family with CCC. He said his love of sports is many brothers and sisters who strong enough or good enough to athletic director in 1997 before what sparked his interest in going never went to college,” he said. be a professional. So, I turned my retiring from CCC in 2001. After “We were a attention on going to a four-year his retirement, he continued workto college in the first place, “There was no doubt poor family. I college and (eventually) getting ing in football, this time with never thought my teaching credential and my the Northern California Football and the colwhen I first talked to of myself as master’s degree,” he said.

Association as its director of footlege degree he earned allowed (Kinnard) at El Cerrito a college stuKinnard coached at Salesian, ball operations. dent.”

Richmond and Harry Ells high Currently, he teaches a Physical him to continue High that he was a his love affair W h i l e schools and was the first football Conditioning class at the college.

He said when he retired from with sports, parKinnard was coach at John F. Kennedy High leader.” a student at El School when it opened in 1966, the college, his oldest daughter, ticularly football, his whole Cerrito High before taking an assistant coaching Lisa Drummond, gave a speech Vince Maiorana, life. in which she stated that he never School, he was position at CCC. former CCC football coach When a full time job at CCC worked a day of his life because “The only approached by reason I wanted to go to college is Maiorana, who recruited him to opened in 1973, he applied right he loved what he did every day at because I loved sports,” Kinnard play for CCC. Maiorana talked away and was hired as the Comets’ CCC. said. to Kinnard’s parents about him offensive coordinator.

Drummond said, “I take what Originally from Fort Cobb, attending the college because In 1979, Kinnard became coach my father told me and my sister, Okla., Kinnard comes from a fam- junior colleges were free at the of the Comets when Maiorana which is to follow a profession that decided to step down to become we are passionate about.” ily of hard workers who moved to time, Kinnard said.

Richmond during World War II to “Vince was a mentor for me an assistant, passing the reins to his A CCC alum and current work at the Kaiser Shipyards when and a bunch of teachers at CCC former quarterback. He coached adjunct drama professor at Diablo helped me realize that I could (get for 10 years, winning 66 games out Valley College, Drummond Tom was 4 years old. of 100, winning three conference said her father’s encouragement “We were a very close fam- my) college degree,” he said. ily,” Kinnard said. “My dad was a When Kinnard first came to championships and playing in two allowed her to follow her passion in drama to act and eventually led farmer (in Oklahoma). (Between) CCC, his main intention was to bowl games.

Maiorana said, “There was no her to become a teacher. the dust bowl and the Great play sports throughout all four years of college, and perhaps pro- doubt when I first talked to him at “He deserved (to be in the Hall Depression, it wiped him out.”

Kinnard was the youngest of fessionally, too. But after realizing El Cerrito High that he was a lead- of Fame) many years ago. It’s well seven brothers and five sisters and that he most likely wasn’t going to er. You can’t say enough about his deserved and huge (for him),” she was the only person in his family make it in professional football, he character. He’s a wonderful person said. “He dedicated his life to footto attend college. decided to focus on transferring and educator. We’ve known each ball, to teaching and to Contra “Coming to Contra Costa to a four-year college and getting other since 1957 and we never had Costa College.”

Softball team blows lead, loses again CCC gives up runs, lacks defensive effort

By Dariush Azmoudeh ONLINE EDITOR

dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com

KENTFIELD — Despite a six-run inning, the Comet softball team remains winless after slacking on plays and giving up the lead to lose 14-7 to College of Marin in the first game of the doubleheader game on Friday.

Poor defense by the Comets (0-12 overall, 0-8 Bay Valley Conference) ultimately led the Mariners (6-10 overall, 5-3 BVC) to score seven runs in the sixth inning and take the lead. The Comets also lost 14-1 in the second game of the doubleheader, which gave CCC its 12th straight loss of the season.

Comet coach Ed Miller refused to speak to The Advocate.

“It was a back and forth game, it was exciting. It wasn’t just one team leading throughout the game,” Mariner center fielder Brianna Perone said. “Last year CCC was better than us but this year, we’re a lot better.

We had a better attitude. Even though we were down, we kept being optimistic.

ScoreBoard We knew we could win.”

Mariners 14 Marin took the early 1-0 lead in Comets 7 the bottom of the first inning when Next game: Thursday vs.

Mariner shortstop Marin, 1 and 3 Brianna Rodriguez scored from third p.m. base on a pitch that the Comet catcher failed to grasp.

Catching mistakes proved costly for the Comets, as five of 14 runs scored by the Mariners were balls that got past the catcher.

The Comets will play against Marin

again in a doubleheader on Thursday at home starting at 1 p.m.

The Mariners extended their lead to 4-0 before the Comets could react and turn the game around.

The fourth inning was the only inning that the Comets outplayed the Mariners on both offense and defense, and the Comets did some real damage. CCC had nine hits, all singles, which produced six runs in the inning.

Defensively, it was the only inning that the Comets prevented Marin from scoring and had Comet pitcher Maritza Reyna getting her only strikeout of the game.

Entering the fifth inning, the Comets’ 6-4 lead would disappear quickly as they allowed seven Marin runs.

“We had one rough inning, but our (players) didn’t give up and we came back in the next inning.” Mariners’ assistant coach Monica Amburgey said. “We were hitting the ball hard.”

The Mariners exploited the Comets’ weak spots in the outfield, where several balls

were hit to Comet left fielder Manal Ayyad.

Problems also appeared in the infield as Comet second baseman Leticia Hernandez struggled fielding the ball allowing Mariner hitters to reach base by error.

“We took advantage of (the Comets’) weak spots,” Mariner third baseman Tabitha Carr said. “We had the key hits we needed in order to score.”

Communication was another problem that plagued the team in the fifth inning as Comet outfielders Elvira Figueroa and Shantanay Briggs bumped into each other while trying to catch a ball that would have ended the inning.

The failed catch allowed the inning to continue and the Mariners to score two additional runs before ending the inning with an 11-6 lead.

The Mariners had a big offensive day from their designated hitter Rebecca Pearlstein, who almost scored on an inside-the-park home run, but it was ruled by the umpire as a ground rule double in the fifth inning.

Squad grasps victory

By Horace Jordan STAFF WRITER

hjordan.advocate@gmail.com

QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE

Diving effort — Comet catcher Carney Chamberlain slides back to first base to avoid being tagged out during CCC’s 3-1 win over Los Medanos College on Saturday at home.

The last time the Comet baseball team faced Los Medanos College, it suffered a late 5-4 loss which knocked the squad out of second place in the Bay Valley Conference on March 17.

Saturday’s game against the Mustangs was a different story as Contra Costa College was able to capitalize on clutch sacrifice at bats as it beat LMC 3-1 at home.

The Comets (10-13 overScoreBoard all, 8-4 in the BVC) were able to hold on to their early Comets 3 lead against the Mustangs (9Mustangs 1 14 overall, 7-5 in the BVC) despite having given up a run Next game: in the sixth inning.

Thursday at After fielding three quick Laney, 2 p.m. outs, the Comets started the game off well at bat when outfielder Charles Lyte was hit by a wild pitch thrown

by Mustang pitcher Austin Wiggins which led to Lyte stealing second base.

With Lyte on second base, catcher Carney Chamberlain began the Comets’ success at bat when he hit a line drive ball between the Mustangs’ shortstop and third baseman. Lyte ran to third base.

CCC drew its first run of the game soon after as third baseman Cameron Doorn hit a sacrifice fly that brought Lyte home.

“We hit sacrifices at the right time,” coach Marvin Webb said.

The Comets’ pitching and defense were stellar

through the first five innings as they showcased sound fielding by catching fly balls and striking out Mustang hitters holding LMC scoreless.

Despite playing well on both sides, the Comets made a crucial mental mistake in the fourth inning as pitcher Chris Lovejoy committed a balk on the mound.

The Mustangs began to find a spark in their hitting early in the sixth inning after Lovejoy allowed three singles, a stolen base and a run that tied the game at 1-1.

The Comets were able to bounce back in the bottom of the sixth inning as they capitalized off of another sacrifice fly by first baseman James Martin that allowed designated hitter Aaron Oaks to reach home plate, giving the Comets back the lead, 2-1. ”I was throwing fastballs outside and having them ground out,” Lovejoy said.

From that point on, the Comet offense, led again

by Lyte who hit a single, took over as Martin hit a sacrifice bunt that sent Lyte to second base.

Chamberlain added to the offensive surge with a single that sent Lyte to third base, positioning the Comets for another run.

Lyte did not have to wait long as Doorn received his second RBI of the game after hitting a single that brought Lyte home and extended the Comets’ lead to 3-1. ”We got runners over and did our jobs,” Chamberlain said. “We didn’t leave runners stranded.”

On Thursday the Comets will go on the road to play Laney College (13-11, 8-6 in the BVC) at 2 p.m.

Lovejoy threw a complete game allowing four hits, one run and a walk.

SCENE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 l THE ADVOCATE

Viewers taken by ‘Mother’s’ charisma

11

Hit sitcom reels in viewers through slapstick comedy

By Dariush Azmoudeh ONLINE EDITOR

dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com

One of the most memorable stories that can be told to children is how their parents met.

CBS’ hit television show “How I Met Your Mother” illustrates an enjoyable tale of friends living their lives with an interesting and witty way of storytelling.

While the story is in the present, it is voiced from the year 2030 by the main character, Ted Mosby, who is telling his two teenage children the long story of how he met their mother.

Narrated by Bob Saget, who plays the older version of Ted, the story is told as a flashback in present New York following the young version of Ted, played

by Josh Randor, and his group of friends.

The series starts off and mainly continues around the idea of Ted trying to find his soulmate after two of his best friends, Marshall and Lily, get engaged in the first episode.

Marshall and Lily are the group’s token couple who at times provide a voice of reason for the other characters while still keeping their own goofy personalities.

Despite Ted being the series’ main character, the breakthrough character of the show is Barney Stinson, played by Neil Patrick Harris. Famous for “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and playing himself in the “Harold and Kumar” series, Harris has been nomiSPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE nated for numerous awards for his role as Barney.

Family stories — ”How I Met Your Mother” is a Monday night CBS sitcom that follows a group of friends Barney is known for wearing suits and always cre- through their lives as the protagonist narrates the story to his children from the future. ating crazy schemes either for his own entertainment One of these repeated clues is that she has a Robin Scherbatsky appears in the first episode or for trying to sleep with women. bright yellow umbrella that is seen in several epiof the series as Ted’s love interest, but gradually His character has also sodes, but Ted has yet to meet her. becomes part of the group. helped advance the plot many Throughout the six seasons, the characters have While the two do date in tvreview times by putting the other evolved and matured while still keeping their own the early stages of the series, characters into situations with “How I Met Your Mother” personalities intact. right from the first episode his ridiculous schemes. ★★★★★ The current season has brought growth to several Ted tells his child that is how Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Josh This is especially true in characters and the show continues to be more than he met their Aunt Robin.

Randor the third episode of the series, Network: CBS interesting enough to bring back viewers.

That right away tells the when he convinces Ted to go Time slot: Monday, 8 p.m.

The series does not only show the good times, audience not to get their Genre: Comedy Sitcom to the airport with him to try but also the bad times and illustrates how the charhopes up for that particular to pick up women. acters support one another. pairing.

They eventually board a The audience can learn a lot from the experiences With the flashback style of plane to Philadelphia but soon of the characters in the show because of their realstorytelling, Ted gives clues throughout the series on find out on the plane that the women they are trying ism and charisma. how he met his wife. to flirt with have boyfriends.

Advanced singing group entertains JazzaNova holds high reputation with vocal skills

“As the group evolved, I looked for tunes that would not only challenge the members but also embrace their specific talents. The songs we ended up choosing really fit the personality of the group.”

By Faythe Del Rosario STAFF WRITER

frosario.advocate@gmail.com

It takes more than simply having a pretty voice to make it in JazzaNova, the college’s top vocal ensemble.

The group not only sings well, but works hard, maintains professionalism and has learned to play off the energy of each another to produce music that is acknowledged by the community and nationally.

Lucia Perez, Marva Dycus, Chris Xie, Daniel Hernandez and Daniel Snyder make up JazzaNova for the 2010-11 year. The five students were brought together by music department Chairwoman Stephanie Austin.

Last weekend, JazzaNova went to the Next Generation Competition hosted by the Monterey Jazz Festival, taking on other skilled musicians from across the country.

The group is one of the six national finalists that competed in the college vocal ensemble division. The results from the competition have yet to be announced.

On Saturday, the group will travel to University of Nevada in Reno to sing at the 49th Annual Reno Jazz Festival.

While there have always been jazz groups in the music department on campus, the number of hours spent rehearsing and preforming is not comparable to JazzaNova.

Former group member Mac Esposito, said previously there were two jazz groups from the music department, called Jazz Singers I and Jazz Singers II.

Stephanie Austin,

music department chairwoman

ROMAN YOUNG / THE ADVOCATE

Pack harmony — JazzaNova, the five-member ensemble created by the music department, features students who practice all year to perfect their songs, professionalism and group ethic.

“The (amount of) rehearsals raised the bar,” Esposito said. Since 2008, those in JazzaNova have early morning rehearsals four days a week. With the creation of the group, only one other group, called simply Jazz Singers, exists.

Under the leadership of Dr. Austin, JazzaNova has learned to be punctual and consistent, two things that are needed to enhance musicianship skills.

“It’s not like any normal class that you can blow off,” lead soprano Lucia Perez said. “If that happens, then the group doesn’t go anywhere.”

Tenor Chris Xie said, “The professionalism that Dr. Austin has held us to is necessary. She expects a lot.”

“The level that they (JazzaNova members) work at is pretty advanced; they are able to work hard,” Jazz Singers tenor Jamie Robinson, also one of Austin’s students, said.

Being in JazzaNova involves commitment as well as being involved with the chamber choir, which focuses more on classical vocalization.

With the complete change of JazzaNova’s members from fall 2009 to fall 2010, Xie and Perez cannot describe what sort of sound JazzaNova embodies.

“We’re five individuals and we each have a part. Dr. Austin has adapted songs by removing or adding things to fit each of our ranges,” Perez said.

“As the group evolved, I looked for tunes that would not only challenge the members but also embrace their specific talents,” Austin told The Advocate in August 2010.

“The songs we ended up choosing really fit the personality of the group.”

Xie said Austin considers the quintet a dynamite group.

“We aren’t exactly sure what exact sound we harbor yet,” he said. “Dr. Austin pretty much holds the ropes in terms of where we go, and how we should do it.”

Since JazzaNova is made up of completely new members who preform fresh material each year, the group is learning to use its energy for cues in its songs.

“We have to feed off each oth-

ers’ vibes; when someone has a lot of energy, then we all have to,” Xie said.

With budget cuts affecting different departments on campus, JazzaNova and others involved with the music department have learned to be self-sufficient.

Each semester, the performers go to local businesses to sell ad spaces. These ads are placed into their programs for the spring and fall concerts. The music department also receives donations from people and organizations.

Perez said, “At times like these, people want to support the arts.

Usually the music departments are (cut) first, so we have to do everything ourselves.”

San Pablo is generally lacking the jazz scene, Esposito said.

Performances by JazzaNova have given the area a chance to experience a local jazz group.

JazzaNova released its first album almost a year ago at the last Spring Concert, and there have been plans to have new recordings this year.

“One of Dr. Austin’s friends is a professional Grammy winning recording engineer who we will be working with sometime this April,” Xie said.

12 THE ADVOCATE

l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

SCENE

AWKWARD GESTURE

Comedians offer feeble chuckles

The lack of professionalism on stage was apparent.

But as the night progressed, funnier and funnier acts began to make their way to the stage. It seemed as if this

By George Morin was done to make sure that when the ART DIRECTOR audience left, they didn’t leave feeling gmorin.advocate@gmail.com empty-handed.

Student Eddie Horalek entertained Comedy, even though unoriginal at times, seemed to actually play a role in the crowd throughout his set. He made calls to the audience asking them what last week’s comedy show. kind of animal they looked like. The Students from the college’s drama likenesses ranged from giraffes to department and other students who signed up performed decently to pretty meerkats and other strange animals.

But his last joke was to a man in the funny comedy acts in front of famcrowd to whom he gave no animal refily and friends at the Contra Costa erence. Instead, he said College Stand-Up Comedy Night held in the Knox Center on Friday. eventreview the man looked like a “stoner.”

Just some 30 people were in attenThat brought laughs dance at the event, which created a to the crowd, but truly more intimate affair at which audience was weak in its delivmembers could engage the performers “Stand-Up ery. and participate in the jokes coming Comedy Night” The last and best from the stage. ★★★★★ comedian was Gaspar Corny jokes and acts in the beginEvent: Stand-Up Bernal, who grabbed ning of the event made one think this Comedy Night the crowd with his offwas to be another un-comedic night.

Where: Knox Center hand jokes between One such bummer was a joke perawkward silences and formed by student Jonah Miranda. his mellow guitar work “I know all you ladies out there that is similar to cometalk to me on Facebook.com a lot,” dian Demitri Martin Miranda began. on Comedy Central.

“But I just want you to know, nine His routine was by far the best of out of 10 times I’m more than likely the performers and held the originaltalking to you naked.” ity and lack of reliance on shock value Another lame joke came from stuthat comedy should have. dent Jose Lopez.

Although this event was a decent It was a joke that seems to be one of his staples, since he has told it mul- comedy show, it was a good way to get students out and in front of tiple times at past comedy nights. It’s about his uncle being arrested for driv- a crowd to get better at performing stand up. ing without pants.

Overall, the jokes and acts were not After this fact, he reveals to the as weak as those of previous Stand-Up crowd that his uncle drove a school bus. Jokes like these seemed to garner Comedy Nights, showing some originality and improvisation. more of a laugh for their shock value This is very important in a field than their true comic relief.

These jokes, though funny because like comedy. But the overall scripted wordplay at the event made one feel as of their outlandish settings and starGEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE if he or she may have wasted another tling content, hold no strong comedic Comic relief — Student Jose Lopez performs his comedy act in front of the night looking for a laugh. value, especially in front of a crowd audience at the Stand-Up Comedy Night held at the Knox Center last Friday. that just paid $5 to be entertained.

Stand-up Comedy Night falls mostly flat

‘Sucker Punch’ covers weak plot with glitzy effects Flick swings between reality, crazy dreams

By Faythe Del Rosario STAFF ILLUSTRATOR

frosario.advocate@gmail.com

Director Zack Snyder’s fifth film, “Sucker Punch,” invokes the feeling of disappointment and evinces the occasional head-shake during its run time of two hours.

Released on March moviereview 25, the action-fantasy thriller makes viewers claim the film as “interesting,” but it is probable that they are not using the word “Sucker Punch” positively. ★★★★★ The story portrays Starring: Emily Browning, the protagonist’s Vanessa Hudgens (nicknamed Babydoll) Directed by: planned escape from Zach Snyder Where: Century a mental institution Theatres that takes her to places Genre: Action outside of reality.

At the beginning of the movie, Babydoll is placed into the Lennox House of the Mentally Insane by her stepfather and waits to be wrongfully lobotomized in five days.

Inside one of the fantasy worlds, which Babydoll creates, the psychiatric hospital becomes a brothel owned by the mob. Within five days, the man who is addressed as High Roller will come to see her dance and take her virginity.

While Babydoll is performing an exotic dance at the brothel, the scene then transitions to what appears to be feudal Japan, when she finds out she must collect five items to aid her escape. The fifth item is not revealed until the end of the film, but is described as a “great sacrifice.”

To escape, she finds aid with fellow patients/dancers, Amber, Blondie and sisters Rocket and Sweet Pea. The general feeling during the film can make viewers compare it to anime. This is particularly due the girls’ busty costumes, the fight sequences and obscure yet typical storyline.

An example of one of the cinematic action scenes is when Babydoll is battling a demon samurai, wielding a katana and handgun that is accessorized by cute, feminine charms.

This movie is a vomit stain on the loved and popular ideas that Japanese animation and its fans have created.

Anime is usually considered to be entertaining and ridiculous. “Sucker Punch” is just ridiculous.

The pitfalls of the movie are the terrible story line, dialogue and its constant transitions from reality to Babydoll’s made-up world.

The ever-changing environments do not make the film harder to follow, but instead make it look as if the film is put out there more just for visual effect and showing off female outfits.

With powerhouse pictures like “Watchmen” and “300” already under his belt, Snyder should have put more time into writing this screenplay, putting confusing emphasis on the screwed up mentality of Babydoll to secure a third grand slam, rather than having his heroine running around and fighting in two completely made up worlds.

The movie is 120 minutes long, although the story itself can be summed up in a short amount of time, maybe in 10 minutes.

The stunning cinematography, character designs and entertaining fight scenes do not accomplish enough to cover up the badly created plot line that ultimately makes this film really dissatisfying.

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