CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B campus beat ◆ page A5
Team nets first win since 2006
Puente experts train rookies
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Shocking victory
Mentors
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sports ◆ page A8
campus beat ◆ page A6
Chefs nab silver spot Young cooks excel at crab competition
VOL. 93, NO. 8
SINCE 1950
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 2009 ACCENTADVOCATE.COM
THE WEEKLY STUDENT VOICE OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, SAN PABLO, CALIF.
16 PAGES, ONE COPY FREE
College to trim courses
Union talks move ahead
Sections may see 10 percent orial overall cut
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Local schools, teachers still in negotiation
By Diana Reyes OPINION EDITOR
By Holly Pablo
Due to a lack of funding from the state, hours and courses for the spring 2010 semester are to be cut by 10 percent. Senior Dean of Instruction Donna Floyd said the number of proposed course section hours reduced has fluctuated, but as of press time Monday, the number of hours reduced for next semester is about 4,000. “Early on, we were thinking we had to reduce 13 percent, and that still didn’t seem to be enough,” Floyd said.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Given the cutting of sections and increased competition in the job market after college, setting up a detailed, specialized educational plan is a must.
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■ SEE COURSES: Page A4 JAMES HECK / THE ADVOCATE
As part of ongoing negotiations regarding the financial crisis to the kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) system, the local public school district and teachers union returned to the bargaining table Oct. 20-21 to reach a tentative agreement. It was the first time since Sept. 15 that West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) administrators and United Teachers of Richmond (UTR) representatives met to discuss contract issues involving health care benefits, seniority rights, pay cuts, class size maximums and furlough days, among others. Steve Hoffman, a teacher for Middle College High School (a secondary school housed on the Contra Costa College campus), said that among the afflictions felt by the teachers, health care is the main topic of discussion, because come January, employees’ spouses and dependents will no longer be covered. These proposed changes are a result of the state budget cuts approved by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in July, which reduced $5.3 billion from K-12 education statewide. Though the district’s revenue and expenditures balanced at $285 million last year, the revenue expected for the 2009-10 academic year stands at $251 million with expenditures of $270 million, WCCUSD spokesman Marin Trujillo said. “We understand that (the cuts) are not fair,” he said. “We just don’t have funding from the state, and we know that the community does not want us to spend money we
Looking ahead
PLANNING Strong focus, solid goals required in rapidly shifting job market
■ SEE SCHOOLS: Page A4
A CAREER
By Holly Pablo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Society stresses education as the universal key to success, but in these trying times, even the possession of a college certificate, bachelor’s degree or higher degree cannot guarantee instant job security. Faced with the reality of a bleak labor market and the obligation to repay debts incurred from college loans, it is becoming more common for university graduates to move back into their parents’ home, settle for low-paying retail wages or return to community colleges to pursue other career endeavors. Mechanical engineering major Tony Tran said the truth of the matter is that when students make decisions about their educational goals, they must be aware of whether or not their degrees will be of high demand in the industry.
The “Great Recession,” the worst economic plunge since the Great Depression of 1929, originated in December 2007 after collapses in the housing and credit markets forced consumers to reduce spending. The slump has struck the United States’ wallet with severe work force reductions and an unemployment rate of 9.8 percent, equating to 15.1 million people without work, according to September reports released by the United States Department of Labor (USDL). Though the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is seeing improvement, economists say that unemployment is likely to worsen throughout 2010, because there is always a lag between production and job creation. “Some parts of the recession (are) over, but tragically, employment is going to be the slowest to come back,” Contra Costa College Dean of Economic Development Priscilla
Budget reduced Buildings, Grounds funding sees slash By Asia Camagong ASSOCIATE EDITOR
With the economic crisis crushing statewide funding, budget cuts are striking community colleges down to the ground. Alongside suffering a series of other cuts, Contra Costa College has reduced the Buildings and Grounds budget by 16.5 percent, directing its attention more toward the function rather than the fashion of the campus. The department, which deals with the repairs and maintenance of the college facilities, will tighten its belt to focus funding on “what is urgent for teaching and learning to go on,” Director of Business Services Mariles Magalong said. In addition to reducing the budget of the program, the state also will not provide any scheduled maintenance funding, ■ SEE GROUNDS: Page A4
■ SEE JOBS: Page A4
Professor awarded top prize By Lamar James NEWS EDITOR
Drawing from personal experiences and the experiences of those close to her, Lynne Knight channels her inspiration into award-winning pieces. Recently, the part-time English professor, who has written thousands of poems, was awarded first place in the RATTLE poetry contest. “I love poetry, because I think it speaks to the deepest emotions, and poetry can touch people all around the world,” Knight said. Aside from being published in RATTLE, an ad-free publication of poetry and other writing, Knight has also written several books. Her love of poetry stems from her mother, who, though unpublished, wrote poetry as well
Knight remains happy for the recognition she has received for doing what she loves. Her poem, titled “To the Young Man Who Cried Out ‘What Were You Thinking’ When I Backed into His Car,” was unanimously chosen out of 6,000 other entries as first by a panel of judges, she said. “For RATTLE to recognize me is absolutely wonderful,” Knight said. In addition to the recognition, the grand prize netted Knight $5,000 and her poem will be published in the upcoming edition of RATTLE for winter 2009 that will be released in December. Knight is also in the midst of publishing her fourth book, titled “Again,” about the pain of losing something, and the joy of finding something new. “I am very proud to have her here as a part of the Contra Costa College faculty,” said Helen Kalkstein, dean of the Liberal, Applied Health, Vocational Training and Athletics Division. Kalkstein said Knight is an example of
the great things that come out of CCC and the talent that is here. Not only has Knight captured the praise of her co-workers, but also that of her students. Hazel Miller, a student and poet, has read Knight’s poetry and found the poems to be soothing and realistic. “I have read a number of her poems and have found a great quality in all of them,” Miller said. “It would be a lie to say I had a favorite.” A prime inspiration in Knight’s love of reading and writing poetry comes from her mother. Her mother kept journals of her works and would sometimes read them aloud to Knight. Listening to her mother’s melodies and rhymes sparked Knight’s interest in poetry and has carried her forward. Knight’s favored style of poetry is narrative style, where the poem takes the form of a story that may have a simple SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE or complex meaning relating back to the Inspired — English professor and poetry plot. ■ SEE KNIGHT: Page A4 contest winner Lynne Knight teaches her English 142B class in LA-106 Wednesday.
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Knight’s calm poem wins national award
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B
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